Grief-stricken families mourn victims of Nampally fire

Hyderabad: Grim scenes unfolded at the Osmania General Hospital (OGH) mortuary on Sunday as inconsolable families gathered to receive the mortal remains of their loved ones who died in the Nampally furniture showroom fire.Among the victims, Mohammed Imtiyaz and Syed Habeeb were natives of Hyderabad, while siblings Praneeth and Akhil were from Nalgonda district. Bebi, the watchwoman who also died in the fire, was from Kalaburagi in Karnataka.The families of Bebi, and Praneeth and Akhil, who lived in the showroom's cellar, not only lost their loved ones, but also their home, belongings, and valuables in Saturday's inferno. A grief-stricken Sameer Khan, Bebi's son, said the family lost everything in the fire. "There was a television, fridge, and other household items, all of which have been destroyed. The total damage may be around 6 lakh. But, I lost my mother, which is the biggest loss for me," he said. Sameer has an elder brother, Lal Khan, and both worked at the ill-fated Batcha Furniture showroom.A few metres away, Praneeth and Akhil's parents, devastated, were seen making arrangements to take the mortal remains of their sons to Nalgonda for the last rites. While their mother Lakshmi works as a domestic help in the area, their father Thokala Yadaiah was a salesman at Batcha Furniture. "They too lost valuables worth lakhs, including furniture, a television, and other household items. But the loss of both their sons is irreparable," said a relative.Meanwhile, the Telangana govt has announced an ex gratia of 5 lakh for the families of the deceased. Revenue minister P Srinivas Reddy directed Hyderabad district collector Harichandana Dasari to ensure that the amount is disbursed immediately.