Families of Red Fort blast victims inconsolable, face uncertain future

Shattered by the loss of loved ones in the blast near Red Fort on November 10, families of victims are bracing for an uncertain future. While some weep inconsolably, others sit in stunned silence.

Of the eight victims identified so far, five hailed from Uttar Pradesh. Following the identification of the victims, local representatives and officials have been visiting their homes and assuring families of government support.

Dinesh Mishra, 34 – a shopkeeper in Chandni Chowk and resident of Delhi for the past 12 years who died in the blast – has left behind his aging parents, wife, and two children in a village in Uttar Pradesh’s Shravasti. Mishra’s 12-year-old son, who lit the pyre during the last rites,  is yet to come to terms with the tragedy. His six-year-old sister clings to her mother, unable to understand the wails around her.

“His mother, in utter disbelief, keeps beating her chest. His grandmother, in her 80s, sits in silence, questioning her own existence while her grandson has lost his life,” said Samant Tiwari, a relative.

In Delhi, Mohammad Jumman, 36, who worked as an e-rickshaw driver, has left behind his wife, teenage son, and two young daughters. “The son starts crying the moment he sees me, hoping his father will return. The daughters are in grief and disbelief,” said his brother, Mohammad Chand. Jumman’s wife, who cannot work due to a physical disability, will now have to rely on her elderly mother.

‘Someone must earn’

“She is the only one who can provide for the family now. I have been taking care of the children so far, but I have four children of my own. Someone has to earn,” said Mr. Chand, who works as an LPG cylinder delivery man.

In U.P.’s Amroha, the family of another victim, Ashok Kumar, 34, a conductor with the Delhi Transport Corporation, grieves.

He was the sole breadwinner and supported not only his three children but also the family of his brother, who has been unable to find steady work.   Kumar had gone to meet a friend at the time of the blast.

“His seven-year-old daughter keeps asking for her father and cries inconsolably. His wife, Sonam, is in shock. His mother, already suffering from heart problems, breaks down every time someone mentions his name,” said Tekam Singh, a relative.

In Shamli, grief has engulfed the home of Nouman Ansari. His father, Imran, who fainted while collecting the body, remains in a fragile state.

‘Sweet boy taken away’

A relative said the father keeps repeating: “The one who has lost his loved one has lost everything.”

Ansari’s death has devastated the family. He had recently begun helping with the family business after his elder brother was diagnosed with a kidney ailment, the relative said.

“Who knew that while one son is in hospital, the other would be on the deathbed?” said his uncle, Mehmood. “A happy-go-lucky, innocent child, he would call me for a five-minute chat that would stretch into hours. He had no bad habits. Just a sweet boy taken away from us too soon,” he said.