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Govt aid for families of
bird lovers

AHMEDABAD — The Gujarat government has given Rs 100,000 each to the grief-stricken families of two young boys who were electrocuted to death while trying to save birds trapped in electric wires during the popular kite festival here last month.

Pradipsinh Jadeja, minister of state for law, on Sunday specially went to the homes of Akash Rajput (18), a collegian, and and his neighbourhood friend Shambhu Desai (17), a call centre newbie, in the old city and gave the cheques to their parents.

Akash and Shambhu, the only child of their parents, had joined a campaign to save their feathered friends injured by the sharp strings used by kite-fliers during the five-day festivities.

On January 13, as the skyline was dotted with thousands of colourful kites, the two volunteers saw some birds trapped in electric wires and struggling for life in the Muslim-dominated Dariapur locality. The Good Samaritans, who could lay their hands on a steel pipe, climbed up the pole but were electrocuted when the pipe mistakenly touched high-tension overhead cables.

The state government is also paying for medical expenses of a third man who is still in hospital after suffering serious injuries in the tragic incident while attempting to rescue the selfless duo. — mahesh@khaleejtimes.com