Shillong: Sunil and Umesh Thakuri died trying to save others in the Lapalang well disaster on July 13. They were two of five victims in an incident that sparked a massive investigation into workplace safety and rescue protocols in Shillong. The brothers were not workers at the site. They acted on pure instinct.
Jitu Thakuri, their father, struggles to find words for the loss. He carries a heavy heart but remains defiant. "I have lost my two sons. It is the biggest loss of my life. But I am proud of them because they did what every human being should do. They chose to help others until their last breath," Jitu said.
The family converted to Christianity and leans on their faith to survive. The brothers provided the household income, leaving their ageing parents in a precarious spot. Kumar Thakuri, 24, returned from Kerala to support his parents. Sunil leaves behind two children: 10-year-old Sakshi of St. Thomas School and six-year-old Avinash of Hillcrest School.
Support is trickling in. The Meghalaya Paragliding Association pledged to cover the children's needs until they turn 18. Hillcrest School will provide free education for Avinash until Class XII. However, the family has received no formal state compensation.
Local groups, including the Meghalaya Linguistic Minority Development Forum and the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh, have petitioned the Deputy Commissioner and Governor C.H. Vijayashankar for immediate financial aid. They want a special package for the dependants. The survivors wait for action while authorities examine safety failures that killed five men.
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