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Sajeesh, husband of Lini Puthussery, the nurse who died while treating the deadly Nipah virus victims in May, has handed over his first salary to Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF). Nurse Lini was treating Mohammad Sadik, one of the first victims of the virus.
After Lini’s death, Sajeesh was offered a job by the CPI(M)-led Kerala government which he accepted and had joined the Public Health Centre at Kothari as a lower divisional clerk.
Sajeesh met Minister for Labour and Excise TP Ramakrishnan on Wednesday to hand him over his first salary cheque as his contribution to the relief fund, in an event held at Vadakara Perambra in Kozhikode district.
“Kerala government and the entire Kerala society had stood with me and my family during our hard time. So, it is my duty to pay them back”, said Sajeesh in an interview with the media.
Lini, 28, who used to work at Perambra thaluk hospital, had contracted Nipah virus while treating her patient. She was kept in the isolation ward and buried soon after her death on May 21.
At the time when she was battling for her life, she wrote an emotional letter to her husband. “I am almost on the way. I do not think I I'll be able to meet you. Please look after our children. Take them with you to the Gulf; don't be all alone like our father, please." she wrote.
Following her death, the Kerala government had announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakhs to the family and a job for her husband. Even the WHO paid homage and called her a true hero.
Recently,'God's own state' Kerala had fallen prey to major devastation as unprecedented rainfall flooded the state claiming several lives over the past few weeks. On Wednesday alone, 25 people died due to the rain related accidents.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday had announced that the death toll has risen to 114 since August 8.