Ranchi, Jan. 8: Freedom fighters Sheikh Bhikhari and Tikait Umraon were sentenced to death by the British today in 1858.

Political leaders paid tribute to Bhikari and Umraon in many functions organised in and around the capital.

Speaker Inder Singh Namdhari released a book written by the great granddaughter of Sheikh Bhikhari, Shamima Khatoon. The book Hayato-e-Khidmat contains the details of Bhikhari’s life with a documentation of his childhood incidents.

Namdhari stressed on the pitiable condition of family members of great freedom fighters and said the state should come forward to help them. “All property confiscated by the British then has been handed over to the state governments. These lands should be returned to the rightful owners,” said Namdhari.

“The government should take adequate steps to make it possible for family members of martyrs to lead a respectable life. Their ancestors have sacrificed their lives for the good of all and we should do something in return,” Namdhari added.

The martyrs were hanged from a banyan tree near the Chutupalu ghati for abetting against the British regime. However, the conditions of family members of the martyrs are in a pitiable condition. Sheikh Bhikhari’s descendants do not have a proper job and have to pull rickshaws to earn a living.

Bhikhari’s village, Khudia Lotwa, is barely a few kilometres from the Sikidri power project and yet there is no electricity there. There are no schools and hospitals in the village and people live in penury.

“Villagers of the area feel that they are being neglected by the authorities and the government does not want to do anything productive,” said Imam Hashmi a resident of Khudia Lotwa.