The Hindu : National : He saw five of his six children die

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 21, 2007
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National

National

He saw five of his six children die

Bindu Shajan Perappadan

Tragedy can't keep our hearts apart, says victim's relative

NEW DELHI: Fifteen-year-old Harish Mohammed, one of the victims of the Samjhauta Express blasts, died of injuries at the Safdarjung Hospital Burns Unit here on Tuesday morning.

A hospital source said the boy had 55 per cent burns. "His condition was bad when he was brought in and rapidly deteriorated through the day. We lost him early Tuesday morning."

Harish was one of the critically injured Pakistani nationals admitted to the hospital on Monday morning. Still under treatment are two Indians and nine Pakistanis.

"Harish had also lost his father in the accident. We never thought that he and his father would have to pay such a heavy price for coming to India to meet their relatives. This time it is the common man who is paying the price for terrorism and our only appeal is to spare the people who are in no way related to it. We have had the worst night of our life," said Mohammed Wasim Khan, Harish's cousin.

It was a sleepless night for the family of Rana Shaukat Ali, who lost five of his six children in the blasts on Sunday night and is now admitted at the Safdarjung Hospital along with his wife Ruksana and one-year-old child Aksa.

"I went to meet him this morning and he was unable to talk due to extensive injuries. But he told us about the explosion and how he had to watch in horror his children dying. He also told us about the man who got off before the train reached Panipat and was questioned by the police last night about it. His wife, however, is in no condition to speak. He had come to India for my daughter's wedding. Now I wish he hadn't undertaken the trip," said Jinnat Ali, Rana Shaukat Ali's relative from Uttar Pradesh.

The mood in front of the hospital's Burns Unit remained sombre with relatives camped outside waiting for news about their loved ones.

"Thirty-seven-year-old Mohammed Zakir has lost his parents and his condition is said to be critical. We hope that he is able to pull through. The authorities are now conducting a DNA test to help identify the body of his parents that has been charred beyond recognition. We came to know about the tragedy after we heard the news on television," said Nafeed Jahana, a relative of Mohammed Zakir.

Nafeed is not afraid to travel to Pakistan on the train or bus. "Tragedy can't keep hearts apart and we can't live in fear. We will travel when we want to," she said.

Samjhauta Express blasts photos

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