Among dead, five from one family: ‘Nothing remains’

The five were declared dead on arrival at GTB Hospital, along with two minor siblings from another house. At the hospital’s emergency ward, their age and names were both written as ‘unknown’ due to the extent of injuries. “The bodies were completely charred. Nothing could be recognised,” said a doctor.

For Raveena, the loss could not have been greater. Not only did she lose five members of her family — brothers Babloo and Ranjit, sister Reshma, sister-in-law Priyanka and nephew Shahenshah — she also could not see them one last time. “Humne to ek baar dekha bhi nahi achhe se. Kum se kum ek aakhri baar hume unhe dekhne to dete (I could not even see them once properly, they should have at least allowed me to see them one last time),” she said, crying inconsolably.

“… they tried to run out but realised my nephew was still asleep. The time it took for them to wake him up changed everything. Their jhuggi was engulfed in flames in seconds… when I came here I saw everything has burnt down. Nothing remains,” said Raveena, who stays at a nearby shanty.

“My sister-in-law was three months pregnant… In fact, we have lost six members not five. My mother also sustained burn injuries. What do we have to look forward to now? Will this government be able to give back my family?” she said.

While Ranjit and Babloo worked as labourers, Priyanka was not working due to her pregnancy. Reshma did sewing work at home, while Shahenshah studied at a local government school.

Vijay, who polishes shoes, lost his niece Deepika and nephew Roshan. Both studied in MCD schools in the neighbourhood and lived with their parents. “We kept calling police and the fire department but no one heard us. Everyone started running when the shanties caught fire, but due to inadequate water arrangements we couldn’t do anything. There are no water tanks in our homes…,” he said.

“We just want the government to shift us to permanent homes… If they can’t do that, they can give us land. We will build mud houses. At least our children won’t die. This is the second time our jhuggis have caught fire, the last time nobody died. We felt relieved that even if all our belongings got burnt, at least no lives were lost. This time, we can’t say that…,” he said.

With hands folded and tears in his eyes, Vijay said he couldn’t understand why the jhuggis kept catching fire: “Half the time there is no electricity, people are saying there was a short circuit. How did that happen? We don’t even have toilets. Women have to walk a distance to use facilities. Please help us move out of here.”