Delhi fire victims’ kin bemoan long waiting for claiming bodies

By Sfoorti Mishra

New Delhi, Dec 9 (SocialNews.XYZ) A huge crowd had gathered outside LNJP Hospital's mortuary, here on Monday, to claim bodies of their kin killed (43 people) in a fire at a factory in Anaj Mandi area of West Delhi on Sunday morning.

Many from rural parts of Bihar complained about long waiting hours and mismanagement.

Mehboob Alam from Moradabad, UP, who lost his two nephews -- Imran and Iqram -- told IANS, he had been waiting since Sunday at the hospital.

Alam recounted how he woke up to the horrific news on Sunday morning. "I stay in the Filmistan area. I received a call from my brother (father of the deceased) from Moradabad about the incident. I ran to the spot to enquire about them. But they could not be saved.

"Imran has left behind four children, Iqram two, and elderly parents. They were the only earning members of their family," Alam said.

He said they had also tried to call the factory owner when the fire broke out, but his phone was switched off. "The factory owner should be held responsible because he was running the unit keeping all regulations aside."

Soni who lost four brothers -- Mohammed Bablu, Raju, Sonu and Mustafa -- in the fire said Mustafa had just got married three months ago. "His wife is unconsolable back at home in Bihar. She has been fainting since she heard the news," Soni said.

Rukhsana could not stop her tears telling IANS that Mohammad Gyasuddin, her brother, was to turn 20 next month. Gyasuddin hailed from Nariyar village of the Saharsa district in Bihar.

"He came to Delhi last year in search of a better life and was living with me. He was too young to die. His parents have not spoken a word since his demise," she said and added, 11 residents of the Nariyar village had died in the fire.

Muhammad Qasim, whose brother in law died in the blaze, said though the government had promised to arrange for transportation of the body, any help was yet to come. "No one is even telling me how long the post mortem will take," Qasim said.

Confronted with similar problems, Zubaida Khatun from Samastipur, Bihar, sat on dharna. "Earlier, they said they will make arrangements for carrying bodies to the village, but now they are asking me to transport it by Swatantrta Sainani train. I have to carry 13 corpses. All are burnt badly. It will take three days for me to reach my village. How can I go in such conditions?"

Authorities told IANS, since a large number of people died, it was difficult to say how much time it would take for completion of post-mortem and handing over of bodies.

Source: IANS