Want to meet Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee for a govt job, says wife of Indian killed in Iraq

Distraught with the news of her husband’s death in Mosul, Dipali Tikadar now harbours just one wish: a meeting with West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee to seek a government job.

Dipali’s husband Samar Tikadar was kidnapped along with 38 other Indians in Iraq in 2014 by Islamic State. External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj announced in Parliament on Tuesday that all 39 men were dead.

“I will tell the CM when I meet her about my poor financial condition, and appeal for a government job. I think she will understand my situation,” Tikadar, a mother of two, said.

Over the past four years, she had been toiling hard to make ends meet for her two children with a hope that her husband’s return will change their life for better.

“I thought after Samar returns, our days of hardship would be over. But now, I don’t know what to expect from life,” Dipali Tikadar told PTI.

She is staring at an uncertain future with little means to provide for her children. Her son Sudip is preparing for Class 10 board exams and daughter Sharmistha is studying in Class 4.

“I want a government job so that I can arrange for the education of my children,” the 35-year-old woman said.

The tin shed over her mud house in Nadia district, along the Indo-Bangladesh border, is also in need of immediate repair, but Tikadar says she has no money.

“I get Rs 4,800 as an Integrated Child Development Service worker. It is not enough to run a family. Please arrange to take me to chief minister Mamata Banerjee,” she pleaded.

Samar Tikadar had left for Iraq in 2011, much like Khakon Tikadar -- both residents of Chapra Mahakhola area of Nadia district, close to India-Bangladesh border. Their families last heard from them early 2014 before the abduction by IS militants.

Minister of state for external affairs VK Singh has said that it would take the government eight to 10 days to bring back the remains of the 39 workers.

Dipali Tikadar, however, is not keen on visiting Kolkata airport to receive her husband’s remains.

“Even if I get scope to go to the airport to receive the remains of my husband, I won’t go. I am too depressed to handle the situation,” she said, adding that the Nadia administration has collected blood samples from Samar’s siblings for a DNA test.

The men who never returned from Mosul

A four-year wait for the families of 39 men who were abducted by the Islamic State in Iraq in 2014 ended when the central government announced that all the captives were dead. Grieving family members recount the last conversation they had with their loved ones.

PUNJAB

GURCHARAN SINGH, 36
Profession: Carpenter

Last conversation: June 2014, told family he was being held hostage
Survived by: Parents, wife, kids

DAVINDER SINGH, 45
Profession: Steel fitter

Last conversation: June 2014, told his wife that he had been abducted
Survived by: Wife, 3 kids

BALWANT RAI, 54
Profession: Labourer

Last conversation: Spoke generallly days before abduction
Survived by: Wife, 3 children

PARVINDER KUMAR, 35
Profession: Labourer

Last conversation: June 2014, Called wife and said he was fine
Survived by: Wife, son

SANDEEP KUMAR, 31
Profession: Labourer

Last conversation: June 2014, told kin he had been abducted
Survived by: Mother, four sisters, brother

JASVIR SINGH, 24
Profession: Labourer

Last conversation: Early June 2014, said he was fine
Survived by: Parents

KULWINDER SINGH, 29
Profession: Carpenter

Last conversation: No contact with family since he left for Iraqin April 2014
Survived by: Wife, 2 children

GOBINDER SINGH, 47
Profession: Labourer

Last conversation: June 2014, told kin terrorists had abducted them
Survived by: Wife, 2 children

KAMALJEET SINGH, 30
Profession: Labourer

Last conversation: In 2014, asked about daughter who was born after he had left for Iraq
Survived by: Parents, wife, daughter

GURDIP SINGH, 39
Profession: Labourer

Last conversation: June 2014, informed family about abduction
Survived by: Wife, 2 children

RANJIT SINGH, 26
Profession: Carpenter

Last conversation: June 2014, asked family to approach govt for his release
Survived by: Mother

ROOP LAL, 40
Profession: Labourer

Last conversation: Said he was being held hostage
Survived by: Wife, two sons

KAMALJIT SINGH, 38
Profession: Labourer

Last conversation: June 2014, to inform family of his abduction by the IS
Survived by: Wife, 2 children

HARSIMARANJIT SINGH, 24
Profession: Labourer

Last conversation: June 2014 said he was fine
Survived by: Parents

PRITPAL SHARMA, 55
Profession: Labourer

Last conversation: June 2014 informed family of abduction
Survived by: Wife, 2 children

NISHAN SINGH, 32
Profession: Crane operator

Last conversation: June 2014, said he had been captured by IS
Survived by: Parents, brother

RAKESH KUMAR, 21
Profession: Labourer

Last conversation: May 2014, told kin they need not worry
Survived by: Parents

SONU SHIRA, 24
Profession: Labourer

Last conversation: June 2014, told kin he had been detained
Survived by: Mother, wife, sons

MANJINDER SINGH, 24
Profession: Labourer

Last conversation: June 2014, informed family of abduction and war breaking out
Survived by: Parents

DHARMINDER KUMAR, 25
Profession: Labourer

Last conversation: Early 2014, told sister to take care of parents
Survived by: Parents, sister

SURJIT S MAINKA, 30
Profession: Carpenter

Last conversation: June 2014, Surjit said he had been abducted by IS terrorists
Survived by: Mother, wife, son

MALKEET SINGH, 26
Profession: Labourer

Last conversation: Told kin IS was taking Mosul in 2014
Survived by: Father, brother

OTHERS FROM PUNJAB:
Nand Lal, Harish Kumar, Sukhwinder Singh, Balvir Chand (acc to govt data)

HIMACHAL PRADESH

INDERJEET, 26
Profession: Machine operator

Last conversation: June 2014, told his kin he was nabbed. Called again on to say passports were taken
Survived by: Parents, brothers

HEM RAJ, 32
Profession: Cook

Last conversation: June 2014, told wife he was abducted him and spoke of an injury to foot
Survived by: Parents, brother, wife, 2 children

AMAN, 27
Profession: JCB operator

Last conversation: June 2014, informed his brother that he had been taken hostage
Survived by: Parents, grandmother and an elder brother

SANDEEP KUMAR, 38
Profession: Mechanic

Last conversation: June 2014, informed family there had been an attack on the place he lived in
Survived by: Parents, wife, daughter, son

WEST BENGAL

KHOKON SIKDAR, 54
Profession: Labourer

Last conversation: June 2014, told his wife that he would return next year. Asked about the well being of mother and kids
Survived by: Wife, son, daughter, mother

Samar Tikadar, 49
Profession: Labourer

Last conversation: June 2014 Spoke to wife about the general well being of his children
Survived by: Wife, son, daughter

BIHAR

SANTOSH KUMAR SINGH, 32
Profession: Contract worker with ULT Project company

Last conversation: June 2014, told brother his workplace was being shifed to another location. Referred to facing some difficulties
Survived by: Parents, brother

VIDYA BHUSHAN, 35
Profession: Labourer

Last conversation: June 2014, spoke generally about his and family’s well being
Survived by: Wife, two children and parents

OTHERS FROM BIHAR:
Adalat Singh, Sunil Kumar Kushwaha, Dharmendra Kumar and Raju Kumar Yadav (to be verified) (According to govt data)

Graphics: Hitesh Mathur