After Digendra, son also commits suicide

JHAPA, Aug 16: In a span of just three months, 50-year-old Pramila Rajbanshi has lost both her husband and her son to suicide.

Pramila´s husband Digendra, who was part of the Jhapa movement of 1971, committed suicide in April. And last Sunday, her 23-year-old son Shambhu also committed suicide.

Digendra committed suicide on April 17 at CPN (UML) headquarters at Balkhu after being unable to find a job for Shambhu. Digendra´s decision to end his life came after repeated requests to leaders of the ruling UML to find his son employment did not succeed.

And on Sunday, the son also followed suit after finding it impossible to live with a sense of guilt over his father´s suicide. Shambhu hanged himself near the family´s rented quarters close to Charali bazaar area.

"My husband committed suicide after being unable to find our son a job," said Pramila. "And our son did likewise, believing he was responsible for his father´s death."

It was a tragic manifestation of affection between father and son.

According to the Rajbanshi family, Shambhu, who completed his SLC in 2008, had become unstable after his father´s suicide.

Shambhu had taken a year´s leave from the Maoist First Division headquarters at Chulachuli. As his family´s economic condition is weak, Shambhu, at the behest of his father, traveled to Kathmandu in April to look for a job.

His father had told him that finding a job wasn´t a big deal as K P Oli, Madhav Kumar Nepal and Jhalanath Khanal were all his friends.

"But he put an end to his life after being unable to find me a job," Shambhu had told Republica while observing the last rites for his father.

According to family members, Digendra became disillusioned after K P Oli told him to send Shambhu to his house if he didn´t find work.

"Shambhu repeatedly lamented that his father died because of him," said Shambhu´s elder brother Rishi, who flew in from Saudi Arabia a month ago. "The feeling of guilt eventually took his life," he added.

The Rajbanshi family had shifted to rented quarters after their house became inundated. Shambhu committed suicide at the rented quarters.

After Digendra´s death, the UML had pledged the Rajbanshi family one kattha of land, a house and Rs 200,000.

"Shambhu´s misery worsened after that pledge appeared nowhere close to becoming a reality," said Rishi.

However, UML Jhapa Chairman Rabin Koirala said a sum of Rs 500,000 given by the government under UML initiative has already been deposited in Pramila´s bank account.

The family, which until some time ago included two sons, a husband, a wife and a daughter, is now down to three members. The Family earns a livelihood working for daily wages.

Source: http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=22284