A tearful farewell to victim

By R.K.Radhakrishnan

CHENNAI, FEB.5. The crowd, pouring in from far and near to share their grief has melted from plot 7, Padmavathynagar extension, Madampakkam.

But the family of Hemalatha, the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University Student who was burnt alive along with her two friends in a bus at Dharmapuri on Wednesday, is yet to come to terms with the enormity of the tragedy and a future without their beloved child.

For more than two days, the hysterical mother could utter nothing but the name of her daughter. ``Hema,'' she kept screaming. According to relatives who gathered at the house, she lost consciousness off and on. In between, she would get up, wailing, ``Where is she....Hema'' .

``God will not forgive those who did this to my daughter,'' said an utterly distraught, Mr. Kesavachandran, the victim's father.

``It will take a long, long time for them,'' said a neighbour. ``They are a close-knit family and are bound to miss her on all occasions, day in and day out,'' he added.

When she left home last, Hemalatha had taken quite a few photographs from the family album. ``She said she wanted to show it to her friends,'' said a relative who managed to locate one picture for the newspapers. She had been away for close to six months and was scheduled to come home for a short while after the study tour.

Her four other children, from the oldest Uma Maheswari, a Madras University research scholar, Tirupurasundari, a first year commerce post-graduate, Maheswari, an eighth standard student and Panjasaran, a boy in his third standard seemed incoherent as they mourned the loss of their dearest.

Friends and classmates keep dropping by to assure them that the family is not alone in the hour of crisis. The employees of Indian Bank, where Hemalatha's father worked also joined them. ``Finally they have to cope with the situation. We can come, stay around and say all the right words. But can we comprehend what they are going through. I do not,'' said a local resident.

Mr.Kesavachandran was inconsolable. ``I was told only late that evening about the incident.... they only told me that there was some problem during the tour and she was injured,'' he said fighting tears. ``Though I repeatedly asked them if there was anything serious, they did not tell me the real incident...I came to know of the episode much later,'' he said. ``I rushed right then itself. But I could not even see the face of my daughter....there was nothing left,'' he added.

``But why these kids,'' asked a relative standing next to the father. ``Why any kid at all. Do these barbaric people not have any sense ? ''

Just before the body was moved to the nearby burial ground, the same sentiment prevailed. ``The entire country has been spoilt by these politicians. I do not know where their blind hatred for each other will lead us to,'' said a stationery store keeper in Padmavathy Nagar extension, who has been around in the area for close to a decade. ``That kid was like most others around. She was quite helpful and very nice''.

``The parents had always tried to give the children the best education they could afford,'' he said. ``To think this is what happens at the end of all that effort''.

The gnawing gloom that descended on the area on the fateful evening continues to linger.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Regional
Previous : 'DMK indulging in vilification campaign'
Next     : SFI for judicial probe into Dharmapuri incident