Nepalmountainnews Report | 19 Jul 2008
Aides of Nepali Gurkha veteran who died of high blood pressure recently, have blamed British government' reluctant and the stress of a legal fight to stay in Britain.
Retired corporal Purna Gurung, 55, who died last week, had borrowed money since he could not work until he was allowed to remain here permanently, they said.
"Purna was talking about his worries and how much he was stressed out with all that was happening," said Laxmi Prasad Sharma, acting head of the United British Gurkhas Ex-Servicemen's Association.
He recounted how Gurung was told he might have to pay thousands of pounds in medical costs after his 46-year-old wife Chandra collapsed into a diabetic coma.
"He was a fit man and was keeping himself in good health. The only reason he died was the situation he was going through. There's nothing else we can say about it -- just because the government is so reluctant to help us. And he added: "We have served this country for almost 200 years... We love this country and we love its people and we just want to settle here and contribute to this country again."
Peter Carroll, a local councillor in the southern English port city of Folkestone, echoed the comments.
"Purna has died of very high blood pressure. He was not allowed to work and he had faced the trauma of a very high medical bill for his wife. There was the added stress of being deported and he just keeled over. "It's yet another example of the misery that is inflicted on the retired Gurkhas," he said.
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