11 dead in Yamuna tragedy: How fate picked those who lived, died

LUDHIANA: Caught between grieving for those killed in Friday’s Yamuna boat tragedy in Mathura and praying for those still missing, Ludhiana is struggling to find closure.On Saturday, the toll went up to 11 even as efforts were on to find the remaining four devotees. PM Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased while the injured would get Rs 50,000. Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann took part in some of the last rites in Ludhiana and assured the grieving families all possible support. He added Punjab had sent teams of divers to assist in the rescue effort. As pyres were lit in Ludhiana and search ops continued in Mathura, stories emerged of how fate chose who lived and who died — pilgrims who were not supposed to go, did, and never came back, while those who were invited but hesitated lived to tell about it.The Bansal family recalls how they tried to stop their daughter Dinki, 22, from going with her mother Meenu on the Mathura-Vrindavan pilgrimage. Meenu’s body was found and she has been cremated but Dinki is missing. Rakesh Gulati did not want to go but his wife Anju persuaded him, neighbours told TOI. Both are dead.The Gulati couple last spoke with their son Mohit around noon Friday, promising to give him ‘darshan’ over video call but it never came. Dinki’s father, Anoop, said, “We initially refused to allow Dinki but she wouldn’t budge.”The last call he received from Meenu was around 8am Friday, said Anoop. “I had not thought it would be our last conversation. I have lost my wife but I have no clue about my daughter.”Five of the 11 dead were from Jagraon, around 40km from Ludhiana. Markets stayed shut Saturday in mourning.Among the dead are a mother and son — Kavita and Madhur Bahl. Madhur’s brother Lovekesh survived and is in such shock that he hasn’t been able to talk about it. Nor is his father Vijay.“The Bahls had asked a friend if he wanted to come along but he somehow couldn’t go,” said local resident Amandeep Singh Khurana.(With inputs from Sudeep Lavania in Agra)