Tragedy in Jaitpur: Kin mourn losses, express safety concerns

Time of India

a day ago

New Delhi: The wall collapse in southeast Delhi's Jaitpur was described by eyewitnesses as sounding like a bomb blast. According to the victims' families, the tragedy might have been averted if the rain hadn't confined the people indoors instead of going out to collect scrap as they usually did.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
At Safdarjung Hospital, Praveena was consoled by relatives after losing four family members: her daughter Hasina, husband Ravi Bul, sister-in-law Rubina and Rubina's daughter Ruksana. Her brother-in-law Hasibul, who sustained serious back injuries, is fighting for his life. "Three years ago, I came to Delhi from West Bengal seeking a better life. Now I have no family left," Praveena wailed. Her shack collapsed in the rain.
She herself escaped because she was outside the house cooking.
Chand-ul, 35, said he was sleeping when he heard a loud noise resembling a bomb blast and was injured in the incident. "I was asleep when it happened and got hurt," he said. Shukural Ali, 34, another jhuggi resident, recalled that 10-year-old Moina was playing outside when the wall collapsed and crashed into her jhuggi, where her father, Muttus, was sleeping.
"She lived with her father — now he's gone. Her mother had left the family.
Who will take care of the little girl now?" he wondered. When the wall gave way, Moina screamed for help, shouting "Papa, Papa" to alert others.
Anand, a local resident, rushed out with others when they heard the calls for help. He confirmed Chand-ul's account of the explosive sound. He added that the casualties could have been avoided if not for the nonstop rain.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
"On a normal day, the people would have left early to collect scrap, but the rain kept them indoors, which ultimately led to their deaths," he said, also pointing out that the wall lacked proper maintenance and had, for that reason, collapsed in the rain.
The families, originally from Assam and West Bengal, had moved to Delhi a few years ago in search of a livelihood. They earned Rs 300-400 daily by selling scrap. They also stored the collected scrap in the area before selling it later.
Doli and Safiqul were husband and wife, and residents strongly suspect that they were asleep inside their home when the wall suddenly collapsed on their shanty. Residents who rushed to the scene to help rescue those trapped under the rubble described the situation as tragic and heartbreaking. "There was absolutely no chance for them to get out in time just as many other residents had done," one of them said.