Tears, anger as bodies arrive

Imran Yusuf remembers his friend Riyaz Ahmed Bhat’s capabilities as a batsman. As kids from the same neighbourhood in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir, they had laughed and played together as they grew up, with the latter usually dominating the battles.

But on Tuesday, Imran was left grieving for his long-time buddy. Riyaz, who had applied for an M Phil course at the Annamalai University, was consumed by the flames in the S11 coach of Tamil Nadu Express on Monday. He had failed to keep up the promise, Imran said, of celebrating Ramzan together.

Imran, who spoke to Express at the Government General Hospital while waiting to receive his friend’s body, recollected the events over the last 48 hours.

Being the roommate of Riyaz’s younger brother Javed Ahmed Bhat at the University, he was expecting his friend to join him on the campus on August 7. “He had completed his MEd at a college in Bhopal and boarded the train on Saturday to pursue his dream of becoming a good teacher,” said Imran. But, they were shattered by the news that the bogie was completely gutted.

“We went to Nellore on Monday morning. Javed identified Riyaz’s  body with the beard that he had grown for Ramzan,” recounted Imran. Javed, though, was in no position to speak to this reporter as the embalming process of his brother’s body was taking place. However, he told Express that his parents were yet to be informed of the tragedy.

Zakir Hussain’s death was more tragic. A hardware businessman from Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh, he boarded the train after visiting Agra to reach Chennai for his routine visit. “Zakir has two sons and a daughter. He started his Ramzan fast days back and had promised his kids goodies when he returned from Chennai,” said his friend Sharib, who lives in Mullai Nagar. Sharib spoke in an angry tone referring to reports that rescue personnel reached the mishap spot late. “What is the government doing if it cannot ensure the safety of  citizens?” he asked. Zakir’s kin  said the family now depended heavily on the ex-gratia announced by the Railways. “I hope they don’t delay at least this amount,” said Sharib.