Bihar father seeks recognition for son who died rescuing two girls from a fire

Bhusan Kumar’s son Amit Raj died while rescuing two girls after a fire broke out in their home.

Amit Raj

Bhusan Kumar, father of 15-year old Amit Raj, from Nalanda in Bihar,  who had died while rescuing two girls after a fire broke out in their home on December 3, is a shattered man today and wants the government to “at least recognise his young son’s valour by conferring national bravery award on Republic Day to him posthumously. ”

Bhushan Kumar, after getting 85per cent injury in his village in Nalanda was first taken to a private hospital in Patna and then to Safdarjung hospital in Delhi where he died in December 13 afternoon.

“No one from the government or anywhere else has come to me yet to offer any kind of help. My son had sacrificed his life for two little girls,” Mr. Kumar told

The Hindu on phone from his village in Nalanda. He works as a construction labourer in the Kalwa area of Thane district, near Mumbai in Maharashtra. “I have a family with two children now to look after their studies. I had high hopes from Amit that he would pass out soon from Sainik School and join armed forces to support family but all my dreams were crushed in just one incident,” said the father in choked voice.

Mouring family members of Amit Raj

 

Mr. Kumar has been in Kalwa since 1992-93 and has been earning ₹15,000 a month to look after his family. “I have been investing all my earnings in my children’s studies. Amit, my elder son, was a bright student since beginning and he qualified to take admission to Sainik School, Purulia, where he was studying in Class X,” he said. His two children, daughter Rakhi Kumari and younger son Abhishek Kumar, study in Class IX and VIII in a school in Kalwa in Mumbai. Mr. Kumar has got tickets to go back to Mumbai on January 5 next year. “What to do? For how long I will be here? If I will not earn what the family will eat and survive, how the two children will study further,” he asked.

His wife Sulekha Devi is a housewife and ever since death of Amit she has not been well. “She looks vacantly, eats frugal and keeps wiping her tears while being alone. She has not been well since the incident,” said Mr. Kumar.

Amit, a student of Class X at Sainik School, Purulia, in West Bengal, had come to his village, Pesaur in the Rahui block of Nalanda district in Bihar, and was taking a morning stroll on December 3 when he heard cries for help from a house in neighbourhood which was engulfed in smoke. A fire had broken out in the house when two little children of Sudha Devi tried to make tea themselves and it caught fire and the children were trapped inside. “Amit, being a student of a Sainik School, jumped into the inferno and rescued both the trapped children but he sustained 85% burn injuries,” said his father. He was later shifted to a private hospital in the Kankerbagh locality of Patna and then to Safdargunj Hospital in Delhi where he died on December 13.

“I was in Mumbai when this incident had happened. Amit had come to village and was attending classes online due to lockdown but destiny had wiled something else for him,” his father said. “He was brave and very helpful as well. He was okay till December 12 but later at night his condition deteriorated and he passed away next day,” said Mr. Kumar. “For a father nothing is more painful than his young son’s death but I am also proud of my son’s courage, bravery and sacrifice,” he added. Many of Amit’s friends from Sainik School paid tributes to him on social media. “The students of Sainik School had also collected money and helped during his treatment. The school management too had helped,” Mr. Kumar said.