MACHILIPATNAM:A pall of gloom descended on the house of Abdul Khader and Fatima Begum in the town on Sunday when the news of the couple’s death in Mecca during Haj pilgrimage was confirmed by the government officials.
None of the relatives, who gathered at the house of Khader, knew how to convey the news to the two sons of the couple - seven-year-old Khaja Mohiddin and five-year-old Md Eid. Though the two knew something was wrong, they are not old enough to understand the implication of the news.
When they were told that their parents would not come back, the two children started crying inconsolably. Now the question on everyone’s mind is who will take care of the two.
When the news of the accident flashed on the TVs on Friday, relatives of Khader couple knew something had happened. They tried to contact Khader, the 38-year-old AC mechanic, who, along with his wife Fatima Begum (33) went on Hajj pilgrimage and was staying in room number 307 of building 27 at Grand Mosque in Mecca. But, there was no response. A huge crane had collapsed on the buildings where the couple were staying.
Though the relatives got information that Khader and his wife had died in Friday’s accident on Sunday morning itself from some of their friends who went along with the couple on Hajj pilgrimage, there was no official confirmation. So the relatives remained silent.
Even BC welfare minister K Ravindra and MP K Narayana, who met them, assured to do all the needful to know the whereabouts of the couple thought missing.
However, by evening, the officials confirmed the demise of the couple in the accident and a pall of gloom descended on the locality, where Khader’s house was located. The chief minister, in an official’s statement, condoled the demise of the couple.