West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee speaks to Howrah girl’s mom, offers job to brother

KOLKATA: A day after Rima Singh, pillion-riding a bike, was killed by a Kolkata Armed Police constable, who had opened fire indiscriminately before shooting himself, the state government assured financial help to the victim’s family members and offered a job to her 22-year-old brother Nagesh.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee called up Rima’s mother Smita Meera Singh on Saturday afternoon to convey her condolences.
Officials from Lalbazar were at the Fakir Mistri Bagan Lane residence of Singh to hand over a compensation cheque of Rs 5 lakh when the CM’s call came. “Madam wants to talk to you,” an officer told Smita before handing over the phone yo her.
Expressing her condolence over the loss, Banerjee told her that Rima’s loss cannot be compensated. On hearing this, Smita Meera burst into tears. Banerjee waited patiently for her to regain composure before continuing.
Later, Nagesh said the CM had asked for his biodata. “She (Banerjee) told her to send my bio data with the officers and has assured her that she will also try to do something for my ailing father. The CM has said she will be in touch with my mother,” said Nagesh.
Rima’s father Arun Singh lost his job five years ago and started working as an office assistant with a private firm. But he lost that job as well during the pandemic. Since then, Rima has been the family’s sole bread earner. While Rima managed to complete her studies till BA second year at the Howrah Narasinha Dutt College, her brother had to start working after he completed HS.
“She worked hard every day to support the family. On Friday, while she was going out, I asked her if she had to go for work as her fiance’s parents were supposed to come in the afternoon. She smiled and said the family needs her support. The family has become helpless overnight,” said Santanu Bag, son of the landlord of the house in which the Singh family resides.
On Saturday afternoon, Rima’s lifeless body reached her Dasnagar residence. It was kept near a Shiva temple. “Each day she would take blessings of Lord Shiva at this temple and go to work,” Nagesh said before breaking into tears.