14 victims from one village
Khuwara village is the epicentre of grief as it lost 14 lives, including 13 children and a woman, in the fatal bus mishap on Monday evening.Other kids were from Ther, Suliyali, Khanora, Haar Gatla and Ther of Kangra district.
A grief stricken Nek Chand, 70, a resident Khuwara village, whose four grandchildren are among the dead, sometime stares at the sky sometimes the mourners who are coming at his house to express condolence.
Chand’s sons Rajesh Jamwal and Naresh Singh have lost their four kids. Rajesh lost his daughter Palak,13, and son Bhavishya,10, while Naresh’s daughter Shrutika,11, and son Naitik, 14, also died in the mishap.
“I have offered my both kids to god,” said Kusum Jamwal, wife of Rajesh, as she cries inconsolably.
“My daughter wanted to become a nurse and son wanted to join army. Who will become a nurse now? Who will I send to join army,” says Kusum.
Simran, 17, the oldest and only surviving child in the house blamed the bad roads and indifferent attitude of the authorities towards the lack of facilities in villages. “They come to seek vote, make tall promises but forget after winning,” she rued.
HITCHING A RIDE PROVES FATAL
Among the dead is 21-year-old Poonam Pathania, who took lift in the bus on the fateful day. She was to get married next month and had gone to Nurpur for some shopping.
Balraj Singh, wailing father of the deceased, said his desire to marry of his daughter will now remain unfulfilled forever.
VILLAGERS BID TEARFUL ADIEU
Hundreds of villagers bade a tearful adieu to the 23 killed in the bus mishap.
All the roads leading to the area were chock-a-block as mourner made a beeline to pay last respect to the departed souls.
Heart-rending cries filled the air as the bodies of the children were separated from their mothers, fathers and grandparents for the last journey.