Family members of the bank manager from Rajasthan, who was shot dead by suspected militants in South Kashmir’s Kulgam on Thursday, said the 29-year-old got married less than four months ago, and had been preparing for a promotion exam so that he could get a posting outside Kashmir.
Vijay Beniwal had been posted in Kashmir after qualifying the Regional Rural Banks (RRB) exam in 2019, his younger brother Anil said. Their father Om Prakash said Vijay was initially posted as a clerk, but later got a posting as a bank probationary officer (PO) after passing a qualifying exam.
“The PO acts as a manager at banks in small villages. He had been preparing for exams to become a branch manager so that he could get a job in any other state. We wanted him to shift to Rajasthan,” Om Prakash, a teacher at a government school, said.
Vijay’s uncle Surender Pal Beniwal said the last time Vijay was at his home village of Bhagwan, in Nohar tehsil of Rajasthan’s Hanumangarh district, was during the time of his wedding.
“His wedding took place this February 10, and he left for Kashmir about 10-12 days later,” Surender said.
Anil, who has completed his BSc and is preparing for competitive exams, said he had last seen his brother in person when he had gone to drop off his sister-in-law, Manoj, on April 24. “I had stayed with him for three-four days. What happened with my brother has happened. I just hope it doesn’t happen with anyone else’s brother,” he said.
