Thiruvananthapuram, 31 Oct (H.S.): Three months after R. Rajesh died saving a farmer during flood rescue operations in Kannur, his family is struggling with mounting debts, medical expenses and uncertainty over government assistance promised after his death.

Rajesh, 38, a swimming instructor and rappelling trainer at Meenthulli waterfalls in Kannur, handed his life jacket to the farmer before being swept away by strong currents.

His death deprived the family of its main breadwinner. His wife, Shafiya, stopped working as a canteen assistant at a private hospital following the tragedy, losing her monthly income of Rs 10,000.

The family now depends on the modest earnings from a small shop run by Rajesh’s father, Rajasekharan. They live in Kalliyoor, Thiruvananthapuram, where their new house is under construction through the government’s LIFE Mission housing scheme.

Adding to their distress, the Kalliyoor Cooperative Bank has issued attachment notices over an unpaid Rs 17 lakh loan. The family also owes money borrowed to meet everyday expenses.

Shafiya said Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, who visited their home after Rajesh’s death, had promised her a government job.

“The minister assured me of a job. We also saw reports that we would receive Rs 8 lakh as compensation. But no decision has come through,” she said.

A job would help her support their two sons and Rajesh’s elderly parents.

Financial hardship has also delayed treatment for his mother, Geetha, who has a chronic respiratory illness. Although doctors recommended admission to a speciality hospital, the family takes her to a nearby government hospital twice daily for nebulisation.

The tragedy came as the family was recovering from the death of Rajesh’s younger brother in a train accident two years earlier.

His sons, 14-year-old Arshad and Abhishek, an eighth-grade student, are still struggling to accept their father’s death, while the family awaits the promised assistance.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman