Dhanbad District Youth Congress pays tribute to 26/11 victims at Gandhi Chowk. Pix: Gautam Dey

Giridih/Ranchi, Dec. 26: A month has passed since the gruesome terror attacks brought Mumbai to its knees, and the country is still mourning.

But the Jharkhand government, it seems, has sunk itself into oblivion — well, as far as the victims and their kin are concerned.

On the fateful November 26 night in Mumbai, Prakash Mandal of Giridih and Malayesh Banerjee of Ranchi lost their lives to terrorist bullets. A seemingly compassionate government wasted no time in announcing compensation — Rs 1 lakh each and jobs for the kin of the deceased. But promises are meant to be broken, especially when they are made by an apathetic government.

The main bread-earner of the family, Prakash has left behind wife Mamta Devi, mother Radhiya Devi, a four-year-old daughter and four brothers. They are yet to hear a word from the government on the promised Rs 1 lakh. “When we met the chief minister in Hazaribagh some time ago, he had promised a job for my sister-in-law, but she is yet to get one,” said Kedar Mandal, Prakash’s brother.

His brother Ashok said that the Maharashtra government, which had announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh, had kept its promise. “Mumbai officials told us that they have sent the money to the deputy commissioner,” he said.

Bagoder MLA Vinod Singh had raised the issue in the Assembly on December 22. “But the government refused to give jobs and promised only the Rs 1-lakh compensation amount,” Singh said. He said only after the matter was raised in the House did the government call on the deputy commissioners. “It will take some more time before the victims’ family member are compensated,” he added.

Government officials claimed that the money had not been given because the deputy commissioners had not verified the files of victims.

Giridih deputy commissioner Vandana Dadel could not be contacted, but sources said that the administration had now swung into action to collect the relevant documents and would send them to the headquarters at the earliest.