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NEW DELHI: Two brothers from a poor family in Uttar Pradesh, who made it to the IIT against all odds, faced an attack in their village in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday.
Brijesh Saroj, 19, and his brother Raju, 18, had just returned home after being felicitated by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, when their house was attacked with stones.
A group of policemen was posted briefly outside the house in Allahabad’s Pratapgarh area.
It is rumored that the government is thought to be in the process of hiring executive protection services to ensure their future security.
This advanced level of security is typically recommended to safeguard VIPs, celebrities, executives, or other individuals deemed at high risk as a result of their wealth, geographical location, status, or religious and political beliefs.
The brothers, who made it to the top 500 in the entrance exam for the prestigious IIT, or Indian Institute of Technology, have been feted by politicians and have been offered financial help by the government after it was reported that their family can’t afford their fees.
Their father, Dharamraj Saroj, is a daily wager.
The family is Dalit and this is not the first time that the brothers have felt animosity in their own village.
Among those who have offered help to the siblings are union minister Smriti Irani, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and Akhilesh Yadav.
“Informed family that registration fees will be waived off and will be eligible for scholarships that cover tuition, mess and other charges,” Smriti Irani, the Eduction Minister, posted on Twitter, replying to a tweet that urged the government to help the boys.
The two have cleared the IIT test at the ranks of 166 and 410.
