Behrampore: Anita Mandal, 40, had her eyes peeled on the TV at her home in Lalbagh, Murshidabad, since Tuesday, when a portion of the Majerhat bridge collapsed.

Anita’s husband, Goutam Mandal, worked as a cook at the Metro construction site next to the bridge and was reported missing after the collapse.

Anita was in denial when she heard her 44-year-old husband’s name being mentioned among the dead on Thursday. A relative, who had heard the news on TV, called her soon after but Anita refused to believe that Goutam was dead.

It was only when her teenaged son Toton, who had been with his father at Majerhat at the time of the collapse, gave her the news over phone that she believed it.

“I had been hoping against hope that my husband would call home and say he was safe. But that did not happen. Our world has come to a stop,” Anita said.

A team of of Murshidabad district officials, led by Lalbag sub-divisional officer Topden Lama, and sub-divisional police officer Barun Baidya, visited the Mandals’ home in Tentulia on Thursday and handed over a cheque for Rs 5 lakh to Anita. They confirmed the recovery of her husband’s body, which reached the village in the evening. District officials escorted the vehicle and were present during the last rites.

The family of Pranab De of Behrampore, also killed in the bridge collapse, received compensation on Thursday. The cheque was handed over to Pranab’s mother, Moyna. 

Pranab, 26, was to marry later this month.

“Pranab had moved to Calcutta to work on the Metro project for better pay. He was supporting everyone in the family,” uncle Partha said.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has promised a job each for the two families.