Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy on Sunday afternoon announced compensation of Rs 500,000 to the family of the slain Indian engineer K Suryanarayana, who was abducted and killed by Taliban in Afghanistan.
Reddy drove to Suryanarayana's house after the Indian government confirmed that the captors killed the telecom engineer. He offered heartfelt condolences and consoled the bereaved family members.
Besides announcing cash assistance of Rs 500,000 and a government job to a member of the unfortunate family,
he assured to provide 'all possible help as Suryanarayana was the sole bread-winner of the family'.
Condemning the killing of the engineer, who hailed from Hyderabad, the chief minister termed it 'an act of terrorism, which needs to be condemned all over the world. Such acts are not only inhuman but pose a threat to democracy'.
"President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Mrs Sonia Gandhi spoke to me and conveyed their condolences to the family of the slain engineer. They also assured all help on behalf of the (Central) government," Dr Reddy told newsmen.
"On behalf of the Andhra Pradesh government, we will provide a job to a member of the bereaved family, besides a cash compensation of Rs 500,000. The prime minister has assured special measures to assist the family. The government will also ensure that the family gets enhanced compensation from the (Bahrain-based) company (that employed him in Afghanistan)," the chief minister said.
He said that after the state received information about the abduction of the engineer by the Taliban, the state government officials got in touch with the Ministry of External Affairs. He himself was in touch with the Central government and spoke to the prime minister.
"The (Indian) government made all efforts to secure the safe release of the abducted engineer. A team of Ministry of External Affairs officials was also sent to Kabul for the purpose. Unfortunately, these efforts did not yield positive results," he said.
Earlier in the day, the family members had called on the chief minister at his camp office at 8.30 am and sought his help in the safe release of the abducted engineer. Soon after, the family was devastated by the news of the killing of the engineer by the captors.
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