Thiruvananthapuram > Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday announced an ex gratia payment of ₹25 lakh to the family of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) officer V. V. Vasantha Kumar who was killed in a suicide bomb attack on a paramilitary convoy that claimed the lives of 40 combatants at Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir on February 14. A state cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, also took the decision to meet the educational expenses of 44-year-old jawan's two children- son Amandeep (5) and daughter Anamika (8). Vijayan later told reporters that steps would be taken to make permanent the temporary job of Vasanth's wife Sheena, who is now working as an assistant at the veterinary university. A new house would be constructed for the grieving family of the slain jawan, hailing from Wayanad district, he said.
"The government is sharing the grief over the killing of 40 CRPF personnel who had lost life in the terror attack in Pulwama. One of our brothers, hailing from Wayanad, also was among them," the Chief Minister said. "We have decided to extend helping hand to his family. For that, the government will give Rs 25 lakh as financial assistance to them--Rs 15 lakh to his wife and 10 lakh to his mother," he said. Forty CRPF personnel were killed on February 14, in one of the deadliest terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir when a Jaish-e-Mohammad suicide bomber rammed a vehicle carrying over 100 kg of explosives into their bus in Pulwama district.
