The body will be brought to Keshabbati by Tuesday, it is learnt. A pall of gloom descended on Purba Bardhaman district’s Keshabbati as Habibul Sheikh, a 17-year-old from the village, was one of nearly 135 people who were killed in a bridge collapse in Morbi, Gujarat, on Sunday.
Habibul,who had left for Gujarat to work in a jewellery shop owned by his uncle, last spoke to his family earlier in the day on Sunday, it is learnt. He was the only child of his parents.
On Sunday afternoon, he went for a walk to the century-old suspension bridge when the tragedy struck. His body was recovered in the night from
the river.
The deceased’s father, Mahibul Sheikh, a labourer, said that he got the news of Habibul’s death late last night. The family has been facing financial crisis since the Covid-19 outbreak.
Mahibul said, “ When I received a call that he died in the bridge collapse, I couldn’t believe it. I let him go to Gujarat since we had no money. He went to Gujarat to earn money. We had hoped for a better life with our son’s earnings. But all our dreams were shattered when we came to know about his death late on Sunday.”
Nazibul Sheikh, the deceased uncle, said, “Habibul studied till class 11 and started learning some work since then his father couldn’t afford his education. He went to Gujarat about nine months ago.”
The family said he had told them that there was lot of work in the shop and hence he would call them later. They got a call after midnight thinking it was Habibul’s. But it was his uncle who had called to inform about his death.
The body will be brought to Keshabbati by Tuesday, it is learnt.
Purba Bardhaman Superintendent of Police (SP) Kamanasish Sen said, “Arrangements are being made to bring the victim’s body from the airport to his residence. We are constantly in touch with the family.”
Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said that the local police have visited Habibul’s house and the state government was providing full cooperation to the family.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday had condoled the families of those killed in the tragedy. “I am deeply concerned about the tragic bridge collapse in Morbi… My deep condolences to the families of the deceased,” she had tweeted.
— With PTI inputs