Shock, grief at college day after crash
HONDA CITY MISHAP Teachers remember victims as ‘mischievous but innocent’, friends in awe of family’s decision to donate eyes
Sakshi was about to step into the classroom to take her semester-end exam on Monday morning when one of her friends broke the news of the ghastly Punjabi Bagh accident involving her seven classmates. Her best friend, 19-year-old Ritu Singh, was supposed to be in that ill-fated Honda City car.
With a sinking feeling in their hearts, Sakshi and her friends entered the examination hall. They did not want to sit through the exam when they were uncertain about the fate of their friends. “I knew all the answers, but I didn’t want to write a word. Some of us handed our answer sheets within an hour. But the invigilators wouldn’t let us leave before 90 minutes. Those 30 minutes (after finishing the paper) were the longest of my life,” Sakshi told HT on Tuesday, a day after the Honda City flew off a flyover, killing four students and critically injuring three.
All the seven students were first-year BBA students at Delhi School of Professional Studies and Research in Rohini’s sector 25. Stuffed into a five-seater Honda City, the students were headed to Narela to take the Business Organisation paper. Singh and Sanchit Chhabra were killed on the spot. Rajat Sharma, the car owner and the driver, died during treatment on Monday. Garima Gupta, who was sitting next to Singh on the front seat, succumbed to injuries on Tuesday. Rishabh Mavi and Raja Rastogi are battling for their lives. Pranav Malik is out of danger.
After the students stepped out of the examination hall, their teachers broke the news of Singh and Chhabra’s death. More than 60 students rushed to hospitals to donate blood or help in any way possible. “The seven of them were the most close-knit and helpful group we have ever seen,” said Raghav Bansal, one of the classmates.
Their teachers remember them as a group of “mischievous but innocent” children who knew their limits. “They paid attention to their studies and knew how to respect their teachers. I don’t know how I will visit the class without those four students when the college reopens on August 1,” said Manisha Sharma, their class coordinator, during a condolence meeting at the college on Tuesday.
Despite exams staring them in the face over the next few days, more than 100 students visited the college on Tuesday to pay their condolences.
As parents of Singh, Chhabra and Gupta donated their eyes, their classmates are in awe of the sacrifices made by them even in their death. “They brought joy to our lives when they were alive. In their death, they brought joy to others and have inspired us. Many of us will pledge to donate our organs once we recover from this tragedy,” said Komal, Garima’s best friend.
Ravinder Vinayak, the college director, said he would organise a camp to spread awareness about organ donation among students and parents.
While shock and grief prevailed at the college, several students were angry about the obscure locations of the examination centres and the lack of ample public transport. The parents of some of the children demanded that the rest of the semester exams be postponed. “How do you expect children to attend exams when seven of their classmates have been involved in such a tragedy? They surely are not in a position to study,” said Parul Garg, mother of one of the students.
I knew all the answers, but I did not want to write a word. Some of us handed our sheets within an hour. But the invigilators wouldn’t let us leave before 90 minutes. Those 30 minutes were the longest of my life.