SANGAREDDY: More than 24 hours have passed, but for many families, the agonising wait continues. They do not know whether their loved ones are dead or alive. Their eyes and throats are dry, worn out from hours of weeping since Monday morning.
“Can anyone tell me what happened to my father, Dasari Ramanjaneyulu? Where is he? Is he alive or dead?” asked a distraught Dasari Kishore, standing near the Sigachi chemical factory in Pashamylaram, the site of Monday’s massive explosion that claimed at least 36 lives.
Kishore recalled dropping his father at the factory around 8 am. “I left him at the gate and returned home. The blast occurred barely an hour later. Since then, I’ve been trying to find him, but in vain.”
Ramanjaneyulu, who worked as a supervisor at the ill-fated factory, has been missing since the incident. Kishore has searched every hospital where the injured are being treated and visited the morgue multiple times, hoping to find his father or at least confirm his death. But many bodies were charred beyond recognition, making identification nearly impossible.
‘Dad was sole breadwinner’
Authorities are now resorting to DNA testing to identify the victims. Kishore gave a blood sample in the hope of a match. “This is our last resort,” he said. “I’ve been running from one place to another since the blast.”
Originally from Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh, the family had settled in Isnapur in Patancheru mandal. Ramanjaneyulu had been working at the factory for several years and was the sole breadwinner.
“My mother has been desperately trying to call him since she heard about the blast, but his phone has been switched off,” said Kishore.
His relentless efforts have moved many. Now, like several other families, he waits for the results of the DNA test — the only hope left to bring some closure.