SI who didn't take bank job

TT, Calcutta, Oct. 13: The bullet has not only ended Amitava Malik's dream of serving the nation within three years of joining the police force but also his marital life that started six months ago.

Malik, who got married in April, died during an exchange of fire between the police and alleged Bimal Gurung loyalists near Darjeeling this morning.

The 28-year-old sub-inspector from Madhyamgram in North 24-Parganas had joined the state police force in 2014 and Darjeeling was the first place of his posting after completing the one-year training at the police training college in Barrackpore.

"After joining the police service, my son was selected for a job in a nationalised bank. But he did not opt for that. Amitava was more interested in serving the society by working in the police force," said Amitava's father Soumen Malik, who works in a fish processing unit at Kharibari, around 10km from Maliks' house.

Malik came to know about his son's death around 9am.

"The inspector-in-charge of Darjeeling police station called us up and asked for my younger son Arunabha, a higher secondary student. Arunabha was not at home at that time and the police officer informed me about Amitava's death," Malik said.

Maliks' relatives said Amitava was good in studies but could not pursue post-graduation because of financial problems in the family.

"We were not financially sound and I could not fulfil his demands that a teenager generally had. But he never disappointed me. He completed BTech in electrical engineering from Burdwan University," said Malik.

"Amitava was also selected for a post-graduation course at an institution in Mumbai but I could not afford fees and other expenses. He then started appearing for competitive examinations and got selected as an officer in the state police force," said Malik.

Recounting his hobbies, Amitava's brother Arunabha said: "He had a passion for cutting photographs of different cars published in auto-magazines. He also had a collection of Hollywood movies. Besides, listening to songs was one of his past times."

Ganga Malik, the mother of the police officer, fell sick as soon as she heard the news. A doctor came and gave her medicines.

"He (Amitava) could not come and spend the Puja days with us. He promised to come during Diwali with his newly married wife, who was living with him in Darjeeling," said Ganga, with tears rolling down her face.

All police stations across Bengal will observe a one-minute silence at 4pm tomorrow to mourn the death of Amitava.