NEW DELHI: The tragedy in Vivek Vihar revealed one of its most heartbreaking images in a mother and her child. The body of a one-and-a-half-year-old boy was found tightly clutched to his mother’s chest, as if she had tried till her very last breath to shield him from the raging flames. In that final moment, her instinct was not fear for herself, but a desperate attempt to protect her child.
Amid the devastation, stories of loss and cruel twists of fate have emerged. One family living in the house had travelled to Manesar and escaped the deadly blaze. However, the relief of their survival has been overshadowed by grief, as five of their family members who remained behind lost their lives. In total, nine people from two families died.
The deceased have been identified as Arvind Jain, his wife Anita Jain, their son Nishank Jain, Nishank’s wife Anchal Jain, and their one-and-a-half-year-old son Akash Jain. They were on the second floor of the building. Shikha Jain was found dead on the first floor, while Nitin Jain, his wife Shailey Jain, and their son Samyak Jain were found on the third floor. In the incident, Shikha’s husband Naveen Jain sustained injuries.
Even as the flames claimed lives, moments of love and desperation stood out. When rescue teams entered one of the flats after the fire was brought under control, they found five bodies lying inside. Anchal was still holding her son tightly against her chest, and both were burned to death in that state.
In their final moments, desperate calls for help were made. Anchal had called her father, pleading for help and saying it might be impossible for them to survive. Nishank also called a friend, saying the central lock of their flat had jammed and asking how the door could be opened. His brother Deepak, in tears, said,
“He called me in his last moments seeking help. I tried contacting everyone to reach there. But by the time help arrived, it was too late.” Nishank, he shared, was a CA, dedicated to his profession, while his wife Anchal worked as a bank manager. “Their home was always full of life. They were joyful people, loving towards everyone around them. It’s hard to imagine that they are no longer with us,” he added.
Relatives said the family, originally from Baghpat, had earlier lived in Seelampur and moved here about nine years ago. “We just couldn’t accept that something like this could happen to them,” a relative said, recalling the moment they heard the news.