ALAPPUZHA: The air around the central library of Alappuzha Medical College campus at Vandanam was heavy with sorrow, as grief-stricken faces gathered in silent tribute.
The pain turned into agony as the bodies of the five students were placed in front of the corridor of the library building. Many were seen hugging each other, yearning for consolation.
“Our campus is different from others,” says a classmate, who did not wish to be named. “In a mere 45 days, we had all become ‘chunk bros’. We hail from different parts of the state and various family backgrounds, but one and half months were all it took to build close friendships on campus,” he added.
“Caste, creed, and politics are irrelevant among friends. When some of them expressed the desire to go see a movie, others joined in. But lack of transportation for the second show was a problem. Finally, Gouri Shankar arranged a van, and 11 tickets for the Malayalam flick Sookshmadarshini were booked. Those who missed out were disappointed, but I believe it was destiny,” he said, weeping.
“The initial plan was to rent auto rickshaws, but one in the group knew the owner of a rent-a-car company. He agreed to provide a vehicle on low rent. But arranging the transportation took time and the group was running behind schedule,” another classmate said.
“Devanandan, Muhammad Abdul Jabbar and Sreedeep were avid sports fans and athletes,” Jeswin Dias, a second-year student, said.
Students, staff and hundreds of local residents gathered to bid farewell to the departed. Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, ministers Veena George, Saji Cherian, and P Prasad, MLAs H Salam, P P Chitharanjan, and Thomas K Thomas, collector Alex Varghese and others were also present.