Patna: It was supposed to be an evening full of fun and excitement. The entire family was ready to witness the magnificent Dussehra celebrations at Patna's historic Gandhi Maidan. My friend Vinod Singh and I made the arrangements to take our families to Gandhi Maidan. We hired a tempo (autorickshaw) and paid them the to and fro fare from our house in Anisabad to the venue in advance.
My wife Jyoti and our two daughters - Seema and Pinky - along with Vinod's family comprising of his wife Kamla, one son Prakash, his brother Ajay and sister-in-law Kavita had planned for an enjoyable evening. Everything seemed just right. The weather was fine and all of us were dressed in new clothes as is the tradition on Vijaya Dashmi when the good triumphs over evil.
After lunch, Vinod came to my house at around 1:30 pm and said that we should leave for Gandhi Maidan as a huge crowd gathers to witness the celebrations and if we are not in time, then we won't be able to enter the venue. We left for Gandhi Maidan at around 2:15 pm. The route was jampacked with people enjoying at various Durga Puja pandals. When we reached Frazer road, it seemed as if the entire Patna was moving towards Gandhi Maidan.
The jam was so massive that we were struck for over 30 minutes near the Jayaprakash Narayan statute. So we decided to leave the tempo and walk towards Gandhi Maidan. Moreover, vehicular traffic had been stopped on the road around Gandhi Maidan.
We reached Gandhi Maidan at around 4 pm and it was already half full. Hundreds of people were entering the venue every minute. We managed to gain entry even though just one gate had been opened for general public. People were shoving and pushing each other to gain entry and many small children were seen crying. Women and girls were also having a very torrid time. Some people said that there were more than 2 lakh people while other said that there were 5 lakh. It was almost claustrophobic.
A huge roar went up when the effigies were set on fire. People started shouting slogans and many clapped. We were also very excited and enjoyed the spectacle.
This lasted for a few minutes and then it was time to leave. We had already planned to eat out and then return home. But even after several announcements by the organisers the crowd seemed still. Then it was announced that only two gates had been opened for the people. After a few more minutes the crowd slowly started to move. But it was very difficult for us as we had to carry our children too. After about 15 minutes we reached the exit gate which led to the Exhibition Road.
Suddenly there was a lot of shouting and we heard that a live electric wire had fallen on the crowd and several people had been electrocuted. It was free for all after this. Everyone ran helter-skelter and in a few seconds several people had fallen to the ground and others ran over them. I was holding my younger daughter Pinky and my wife was just ahead of me. My elder daughter Seema was with Ajay followed by his wife Kavita. Vinod's son, his wife and he himself were besides me.
But then the crowd pushed forward and I saw my wife and elder daughter along with Ajay falling down. I tried to pull my wife away but with Pinky also with me, I failed to do so. Then everyone started running and I too ran. I once fell down and Pinky started crying for her mother but I failed to locate Jyoti, Seema and Ajay in the massive rush of people. There were some policemen standing but they too seemed unable to control the crowd. I ran until I reached near Hotel Maurya.
By this time I had realised that it was massive tragedy. There were several people crying and shouting the names of their near and dears ones. I too looked towards the rushing crowd and started shouting the names of my wife and elder daughter. I had a cut on my right arm and knees.
Pinky was crying for her mother and sister. I could not locate Ajay, Vinod and his family. The policemen stationed there stopped us from going towards Gandhi Maidan to look for our missing family members. After 15 minutes of pleading one of them told us to go to Patna Medical Collage and Hospital (PMCH) as the injured are being taken there. He then gave us the stunning news. "Bahut log dab ker mar gaya hai (Many people have been crushed to death)," he said.
I was too shocked to react. Then I remembered my mobile. I called Vinod. His phone rang but he did not receive the call. Desperately I called again and still there was no response. I then called the tempo driver who had brought us to Gandhi Maidan. He picked it up immediately and enquired if we were fine. I asked him if Vinod had got in touch with him. He replied in the negative and added that. He too had heard that many had died.
I once again tried calling Vinod but still no response. Now I feared for the worst. Pinky was inconsolable and I too started crying. I then asked the policeman the direction to PMCH and reached there after struggling for half-an-hour. The route was full of slippers, shoes, toys, torn cloths etc.
The scene was equally chaotic at PMCH. The policemen were not allowing us to enter. There were hundreds of people trying to enquire about their relatives but there was no answer. I saw several injured being brought on two wheelers and some of them were even being carried by others.
After more than an hour at the gate, I heard my mobile ring. It was Vinod's number flashing on the screen. I quickly answered and asked him about his others well being. His reply came as a bolt from the blue. While his wife was with him and they had only suffered minor injuries; his son, brother and sister-in-law were missing. He himself was struck somewhere on Exhibition Road.
I asked him to come to PMCH. Meanwhile, after a lot of pleading the policemen allowed some of us inside the hospital campus.
We rushed forward and started to enquire about the tragedy. A nurse guided us to a group of hospital staff who were surrounded by another large group of anxious and screaming people. After 10 minutes they directed us to a ward where 15 dead bodies had been kept.
And the fourth body in that room was Seema's. It seemed she was sleeping. I started to shout and pleaded with the doctors present there to check if she is alive. But they simply said - "isme koi nahi bacha (No one among them has survived)."
Pinky started to wail at the top of her voice. There were others who too were crying hysterically. It was a heartrending sight and one which will haunt me forever.
A doctor then came forward and said I will have to complete a few formalities before by daughter's body is handed over to me. I then looked at other bodies. There were three children and 12 women. But my Jyoti was not there. I asked the doctors if there are more rooms, but replied in the negative. One of them said that more bodies are being brought in and I can give the name and description to them.
My phone started to ring and it was once again Vinod. As soon as I picked it up, he excitedly informed me that he was standing outside the gate with Jyoti and his family. But his son and sister-in-law was still missing. I ran outside to meet them.
But on seeing Jyoti I lost my composure and started to cry. They started to shake me and asked about Seema. I could not answer and simply gestured towards the hospital. Jyoti then took Pinky who was till crying. I then informed them that Seema was dead.
As soon as Jyoti and Vinod's wife heard this, they started to cry loudly. We stood there trying to console them. After a few minutes, a few people informed us that more dead and injured had been brought in. Vinod then rushed in to enquire about his son and sister-in-law.
After about 15 minutes he called me inside the hospital and we once again went into the dreaded room where the dead had been kept. Vinod pointed towards a young lady's body. It was Ajay's wife. But still there was no news of Vinod's son.
After more than an hour, we came out and broke the news to others. We then sat on the road trying to console each other. Later a senior police officer came and addressed all those waiting and told us to get in touch with the police station for those still missing. We went to the police station at 12 in the night and after an hour Vinod was reunited with his son who had been rescued by someone in the crowd and handed over to a policeman.
But our Dussehra festivities will forever haunt me. It is a day when truth wins, but in our case and of so many others, it was the black shadow of death that won and snatched away our loved ones. The lifeless body of Seema and Kavita will never fade from our memories.
There will be no more truth triumphs over evil for me.
(This is a first person account of Shambhu Prasad who lost his daughter in the Gandhi Maidan stampede on Friday)
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