NEW DELHI: The aftermath of Monday’s devastating blast near the Red Fort has left several families in Delhi and neighbouring states plunged into grief. Police have so far confirmed multiple fatalities and several injuries, with many of the victims identified as daily earners and traders who were at the site for work or travel.
Among the deceased was 34-year-old pharmaceutical businessman Amar Kataria, a resident of Srinivaspuri.
Half an hour before the explosion, Amar had called his father to say he was leaving his Bhagirath Palace shop. When he did not return home, the family began searching frantically, only to receive confirmation of his death later that night.
Amar, the only son of his parents, leaves behind a wife and a three-year-old son who continues to ask for his father. The family identified him by a tattoo on his hand reading, “Mom my first love, Dad my strength.”
Another life cut short was that of 23-year-old Nauman Ansari from Shamli, Uttar Pradesh. Nauman had come to Delhi’s Sadar and Kinari Bazaars with his cousin Aman Ansari (22) to buy stock for their cosmetics business.
While Nauman was killed in the explosion, Aman sustained serious injuries and is undergoing treatment at LNJP Hospital.
Nauman had been the sole breadwinner for his family, managing both household expenses and his ailing brother’s dialysis treatment. His father, a daily-wage mason, and mother are inconsolable.
Eyewitnesses and friends also confirmed the death of an e-rickshaw driver, whose body was recovered from the site. His friend, Ifthikhar, who works nearby, said the victim was the sole provider for his wife and two children.
“We found his e-rickshaw at the site and knew something terrible had happened,” he said, his eyes brimming with tears.
Another e-rickshaw driver, Jumman, was also among those killed. His uncle, Mohammad Idris, said the family tracked his GPS location to the Red Fort area after he failed to return home.
“We later found his body at the hospital mortuary. He had lost both his legs and the upper part of his head,” Idris said. Jumman supported his differently-abled wife and three children.
Two friends, Ashok Kumar and Lokesh Agarwal, who were riding a motorcycle just behind the car that exploded, also lost their lives. Lokesh had visited Sir Ganga Ram Hospital earlier that day to see his mother-in-law and had met Ashok for lunch before the tragedy. Police traced Ashok’s family through the motorcycle registration number.
Several others remain hospitalised with injuries of varying severity. Mohammed Farukh (58), a refrigerator parts dealer from Old Delhi, sustained leg injuries and is admitted to LNJP Hospital. His family said he also suffers from a heart condition and that access to meet him has been restricted.
Mohammed Shahnawaz (41), a cab driver from Daryaganj, suffered multiple fractures and head injuries when his vehicle was destroyed in the blast. His wife has been allowed to stay by his side as he battles for recovery.
Shiva Jaiswal (27) from Uttar Pradesh’s Deoria district, who had come to Delhi for garment purchases, suffered burns and a fractured arm. Vijender Yadav, a water vendor from Bihar, and Ram Pratap, who runs a small eatery near the Red Fort, also sustained injuries while working close to the explosion site.