Lockdown: Freedom fighter Prafulla Chaki's grandniece goes

hungry, pleads for assistance

Gangarampur (WB) Apr 14 () Madhabi Talukdar, thegrandniece of freedom fighter Prafulla Chaki, said she isspending her days in hunger in a shanty near Gangarampurpolice station in West Bengal's South Dinajpur district due tothe nationwide lockdown imposed to contain the coronavirusoutbreak.

Recalling the days of struggle for independence fromthe British rule, Talukdar said she used to visit the hideoutsof the freedom fighters as a 10-year-old and performmovement-related work assigned by Prafulla Chaki, the youngestbrother of her grandfather Pratap Chaki.

Along with Khudiram Bose, Chaki had attempted toassassinate the then Muzaffarpur District Judge, DouglasKingsford in 1908. While Bose was nabbed and hanged, Chakievaded arrest by committing suicide.

More than 70 years after Independence, Talukdar worksas a cleaner at a temple in the nondescript West Bengal town.

The religious institution is shut due to the lockdown.

Her 23-year-old son runs a small eatery which is alsoclosed due to the lockdown.

"Despite participating in the freedom struggleaccording to my capacity, I don't get freedom fighter'spension. With the imposition of the lockdown, I have tosurvive on the scant relief materials distributed by somepeople," Talukdar told .

"I was married to a well-to-do businessman inGangarampur. But after his death, we lost everything and formany years, we live in the shanty," she said.

Gangarampur MLA Goutam Das said he was unaware ofTalukdar's misery and promised to extend aid to her. CORACD ACD