New Delhi, Feb 19: Wahid Khan had come to the Old
Delhi Railway Station here last night to see off his relatives
who were going to Pakistan to attend a marriage.
Shock and disbelief writ large on his face, Khan, a
resident of adjoining Ghaziabad, was back at the station this
morning frantically looking for information about his
relatives as news came in of twin explosions on the Samjhauta
Express.
Khan's 70-year-old mother, brother Tariqat (25) and
friend Isteghar were on the train.
"They were going to Pakistan to attend a marriage
function. They were so happy to be able to go to Pakistan. I
am just hoping somebody tells me they are safe and sound," he
said.
Sixty-eight-year-old Mohammad Ali came to the station
looking for his son Tanveer's father-in-law, Afzal Khan who
had come from Pakistan to attend a function and was going
back.
Afzal's wife and his 18-year-old daughter Tanya were also
with him on the train and their whereabouts were unknown.
Ali complained that railway authorities were not
forthcoming in giving any information regarding the incident.
"Probably, we have to go to Panipat to get the exact
information," he said.
Chandu Lal's uncle Bhura boarded the train to go to a
village in Sindh province of Pakistan. Lal could not find his
uncle's name in the list of the injured. "I haven't got any
cooperation as of now from the railway authorities," he
complained.
Shafeeq Ahmed was travelling with his two kids --
Harrif (14) and Sami (12), his nephew M W Khan said. Ahmed had
come to India after 14 years to see his brother, Khan said.
Khan said he has been able to locate Harrif in the
injured persons' list. "I came here after seeing the news on
TV. I had to switch off the TV so that my father would not
come to know about the tragic incident," he said.
Sijauddin rushed to the railway station to seek
information about his cousin Mohammad Ejaaz Ahmed, who was
going to Lahore. "I am not getting any clear information from
here," he said.
He was worried as his cousin was in fourth-last bogie,
which was one of the two coaches that were burnt in the
blasts.
"He was wearing a grey jacket and carrying a blue
bag," Sijauddin said in the hope of getting some information
about him. He added that he was getting calls from relatives
in Pakistan enquiring about Ahmed.
Karachi-based Ashfaq Khan boarded the train with his
family at the Old Delhi Railway Station. "They were in S-3
coach," his brother Mehfooz Alam said.
Bureau Report