By Mohammed Shafeeq, IANS
Hyderabad : Fourteen-year-old Saravanthi and her cousin Srilekha, 17, had gone out with their aunts to buy rakhis here but stopped for a bite at a popular eatery on their way back home. And they never returned to express their love for their brothers.
Their dreams came to an abrupt end Saturday evening when the powerful blast rocked Gokul Chat – theirs were among the 32 lives that were snuffed out.
Saravanthi, Srilekha and their aunt Susheela were killed in the terror attack while another aunt Deepika was injured.
“She had told me that she would buy a colourful rakhi while I was planning to give her a surprise gift. Who will tie me a rakhi now?” asked Venu, her only brother, crying inconsolably.
A pall of gloom descended on two houses in Uppal neighbourhood. Saravanthi, daughter of Anjanyeulu, was a Class 9 student and dreamed of becoming a chartered accountant.
Anjanyeulu’s brother Shankar too lost his only daughter. Srilekha, 17, who was waiting for admission in an engineering college, had also gone to buy rakhis for her two brothers.
It was a triple tragedy for Anjanyeulu and Shankar. They also lost one of their sisters. Like every year, Susheela and Deepika were making preparations for the festival. Susheela bore the brunt of the blast and her body was badly mutilated.
Working as an agent for an insurance company, Susheela was married to a bus conductor. “We were eating samosas when the huge explosion destroyed everything. I did not know what happened and when I regained consciousness I found myself in hospital,” said Deepika, who received minor injuries.
Another family lost two young members in the blast. The temptation to have the crispy snacks drew Mohammed Rizwan, 16, and his cousin Yahiya Abdul Qader, 17, to their death.
The duo, students of Class 12, stopped at the famous eatery on their way to Rizwan’s house in New Malakpet. They were returning from Yahiya’s house in Vijaynagar Colony. The two boys were buried late Sunday.