'He Said He Would Be Back for Dinner': Wife of Driver Killed in Dantewada Attack

Dhaniram's family said he received a call on Tuesday evening before he left home saying he would return soon.

"He left home on Tuesday [25 April] at 6 pm. He said he will return home in sometime, but he never came back," said an inconsolable Mangaldai Yadav, wife of Dhaniram Yadav, the civilian driver who was killed in the Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada on Wednesday, 26 April.

Dhaniram – who has three siblings – was a private vehicle driver. The 36-year-old took regular jobs with the police and security forces to ferry soldiers to and from the forests.

On Tuesday evening, his 32-year-old wife recounted that he got a call for a similar job. As Dhaniram tucked his shirt in, he told his wife that "he will be back for dinner." Little did she know that she would never see Dhaniram again.

Apart from Dhaniram, 10 security personnel – all from the District Reserve Guards (DRG) – were killed in the improvised explosive device (IED) blast in the Dantewada.

Speaking to The Quint, Mangaldai recounted:

"He has been driving for the past 15-16 years, and in the last few years, he took multiple such jobs of transporting security personnel to different places in the district. When he left home, saying 'I will be back, don't worry', I didn't know I was seeing him for the last time. I wouldn't have let him go."

'We Are a Family Who Ate Together'

Dhaniram was the sole breadwinner of his family of four. He earned Rs 7,000-8,000 a month as a driver.

"Despite all our financial hardships, we were a family who ate together and prayed together. With Dhaniram's salary, it was difficult to sustain our children's education and other needs, but we were managing somehow. We have lost our guide... how will I educate my children? How will we live?"

Mangaldai

Dhaniram's younger brother Kaniram told The Quint that he was a jolly man who cared a lot about his family. 

"He was a very hardworking and happy man. He was the second son of my parents, but always the first when any one of us needed any help. He was a person who cared for his family a lot." 

Kaniram Yadav

Dhaniram is survived by daughter Basanti, son Shivam Yadav, and wife Mangaldai. Basanti is a student of Class 11, while Shivam is studying in Class 7.

Kaniram said, "Shivam doesn't fully understand what has happened, but Basanti hasn't stopped crying since she learnt of her father's demise."

'Wanted To Educate Our Daughter... Left Us Alone'

Dhaniram and his family were like any other family – with parents striving to ensure good education and life for their children. Dhaniram also wanted the same for his kids. He wanted his daughter Basanti to become a doctor or a nurse.

"He loved his daughter a lot. He loved both our kids, but for Basanti, he had big dreams. He wanted her to become a doctor or a nurse and help people in need. He would always encourage her to study hard and be helpful. He was a man with a passion to provide his family with everything. He did his best."

Mangaldai

Mangaldai said that it would be an uphill task to educate her children and provide them with a good life in the absence of Dhaniram.