Md Maqsood’s family members in Bhelwaghati. (Shahnawaz Akhtar)

Bhelwaghati (Giridih), Sept. 11: The world remembers 9/11 for the terror attacks on the twin towers in US. For the residents of Deori block in Giridih, the date is tragic too, but for different reasons.

Four years ago on this fateful day, 16 villagers of Bhelwaghati in Deori block, about 85km from the district headquarters, were butchered by more than 500 guerrilla Maoists. Later, one died in the hospital. Since then, the families of the victims have been waiting for the state to give them the compensation it promised.

At the directive of then chief minister Babulal Marandi, a gram raksha dal was formed in the village to take on the Naxalities. But instead of arms, the members of the committee were provided with only torches for vigils at night. Hence, when the rebels raided the village on September 11, 2005, they were overpowered.

After the incident, many leaders, including Munda, home minister Sudesh Mahto and Babulal Marandi, visited Bhelwaghati. A job to a member of each affected family, Rs 2.5 lakh as compensation, houses under Indira Awas Yojana, widow and old-age pension, red cards, free education for the victims’ children and development of Bhelwaghati as a model village were promised.But except providing jobs to the kin of 16 victims and Rs 1 lakh as compensation, no other promise was kept.

“Around 100 houses under the Indira Awas Yojana were sanctioned for Bhelwaghati, but instalments were not paid by the administration and the houses are incomplete,” said Shetaldev Hazra, whose son Ashok was one of the victims.

The condition of Md Maqsood’s family is worse. He was the sole breadwinner and had been married for just three months when the Maoists snuffed out his life. After pocketing the Rs 1 lakh compensation, his wife left and married someone else.

Now, his nine family members are struggling to make ends meet with mother Hazuna Bibi running from pillar to post to get a job. “I had approached former governor Syed Sibtey Razi, but have not heard from the state,” she said.