NZ massacre: No word on Ahmedabad man

AHMEDABAD: Indian high commissioner in New Zealand has declared that five Indian nationals, including a man from Ahmedabad Maheboob Khokhar, have died in the Christchurch mosque attack. However, Khokhar’s relatives — who have reached Christchurch — are yet to receive any official confirmation of his death from the New Zealand government.


On Saturday, the Indian high commissioner in New Zealand tweeted from the official handle — India in New Zealand — “With a very heavy heart we share the news of loss of precious lives of our 5 nationals in ghastly terror attack in Christchurch, Maheboob Khokhar, Ramiz Vora, Asif Vora, Ansi Alibava and Ozair Kadir.”

Khokhar, a retired

Gujarat

Electricity Board (GEB) employee went to New Zealand two months ago with his wife, Akhtar Begum (65), to meet his son, Imran Khokhar (28), who lives in the Philipstown suburb of Christchurch. Mehboob was wounded when he went to the

Al Noor mosque

in Christchurch for Friday prayers.

Maheboob’s son-in-law, Hafeez Khokhar, said that Imran is yet to receive any information about his father’s death from the authorities in New Zealand.

“I talked to Imran who told me that the authorities did not declare anything officially and they are saying that they would take at least two days to finish the procedure. Imran also told me that the authorities there did not take him to identify the body,” said Hafeez. “Forget about getting bodies, the family members were yet to see the dead bodies,” he added.

Hafeez said that New Zealand authorities will first conduct DNA tests before handing over the bodies to the families of the deceased persons.

Maheboob had retired as deputy engineer with the GEB five years ago. Imran went to New Zealand in 2010 for higher studies and set up a courier and transport services company in Phillipstown after his course.

At least one gunman killed 49 persons and wounded more than 40 during the Friday prayers at two mosques in Christchurch.