US-based brothers die in bid to save elderly aunt

Little did Michigan-based Dhairya (26) and Vishwa (23) Lalani know that a celebration with their senior citizen aunt Premila Kenia (68) would become their last gettogether with family and friends.

Both the computer engineers had gone to 1Above restaurant for a party organised by Kenia to celebrate their two-week-long visit. KEM Hospital doctors said that the bodies of the brothers were found in the ladies’ washroom of the restaurant along with their aunt Premila.

A family friend said that the siblings had been attending parties and marriages of friends and family members for the last two weeks. To celebrate their visit, their aunt invited a few friends and family members and decided to have a huge party.

A family friend said, “Both Dhairya and Vishwa had gone to the restaurant with our aunt Pramila Kenia for dinner. As per reports, when the fire broke and a stampede ensued, both managed to escape but returned for Pramila who was in the washroom.

“We are utterly devastated. Dhairya had come on a holiday for two months and Vishwa had just started helping his father in business. They tried saving lives but lost their own. I got information about my brother's disappearance and subsequent death at 2 am. Proper investigations are needed to bring the guilty to justice,” said Viral Chheda, brother to deceased Dhairya and Vishwa.

‘‘All the three had very little burn injuries and possibly died due to suffocation. Since the bodies of the two men were inside the ladies’ washroom, we strongly suspect they came there to rescue their aunt,” said forensic experts of the KEM Hospital.