“When my father was killed, I was 19 years old. You are much younger. I understand your pain. You must study as much as you can.”

This was Rahul Gandhi speaking to Abhishek, the 10-year-old son of Special Branch Inspector Francis Induwar who was beheaded by Maoists in Jharkhand earlier this month.

The Congress general secretary arrived in the state hit by Naxal violence today, and spent some 15 minutes with the family of the slain police officer — his wife Sunita and their three school-going sons Abhishek, Anitesh and Animesh.

With a garlanded portrait of Induwar kept on a chair and a dozen-odd relatives and neighbours standing around, Rahul asked Abhishek what he wanted to become when he grew up.

“A police officer,” said the youngest Induwar, without a moment’s hesitation, as smiles came to the faces of his mother and two elder brothers.

Four armed CPI (Maoist) cadres picked up Induwar from Hembrom Bazaar in Khunti district on September 30 evening. His decapitated body was found at Raisa Ghati near Ranchi some time after dawn on October 6.

The state government has since provided Sunita with a compensation of Rs 54.45 lakh, and a teacher’s job at Ranchi’s Balkrishna High School. Several VIPs including Governor K Sankarnarayanan have called on the family. But Rahul’s visit today was special. “We are so happy that he came,” said Anup, Inspector Induwar’s nephew, fighting back tears.

Rahul spoke individually with every member of the family, asking them about Induwar, and about their own lives and living conditions. “He asked me, ‘What is the way out of the Naxalite violence?’ I told him that if the benefits of the state government’s development measures reach the poorest of the poor, a significant part of the problem can be overcome,” Sunita told The Indian Express after Rahul had left.

... contd.