Mumbai bridge collapse: I’ve lost my child, cries survivor who was on the bridge with son

MUMBAI: “Baccha mera mar gaya (my child has died),” cried 55-year-old Siraj Khan, whose world came crashing with the collapse of the Himalaya bridge on Thursday evening.
Khan was accompanying his 32-year-old son Zahid out of the CSMT station and the two were walking on the foot over brdige towards Anjuman-I-Islam building a little to the side to avoid the evening crowd rushing in to catch trains when the bridge collapsed.
While Siraj escaped with severe injuries, his son did not make it. Zahid is survived by wife Shaheen (24) and two daughters aged six and one.
“We were together and chatting when we felt the bridge was shaking and was about to crash. It all happened within seconds,” the father recalled. “I couldn’t do anything to save my son and this is the saddest day of my life. I was taken to G T Hospital from where I went to Rajawadi for further treatment. The doctors have given me a waist belt as I have suffered a back injury which will take time to heal. I have also sustained injuries to my face. But the worst pain is that of losing my son,” he told mediapersons gathered outside his Ghatkopar residence.
Siraj ran a shop near Ghatkopar station with his three sons. Siraj and Zahid, his eldest son, were in CSMT on Thursday to buy supplies for their store, which is a regular practice with them. “It is fortunate that Zahid’s brothers and the rest of the family are around for help and support,” said Shaikh Badrunnisa, Zahid’s spiritual teacher and neighbour, “otherwise this would have become extremely tough to deal with for them”.
Badrunnisa recounts the series of events that led to the confirmation of his demise. “When the news first came and we saw his name on the list, we didn’t want to believe it was our Zahid,” she says, “but it was soon confirmed by various groups and friends. However, we still hoped that he was injured and alive.”
While Siraj Khan struggles to walk, his wife remains inconsolable in her grief. Having recently undergone an operation, the family thought it wise to break the news of her son’s sudden demise to her slowly, with white lies such as him being admitted to the ICU.
Referred to as “Sonu” by his loved ones, Zahid’s life cannot be compensated by any amount of money, said Badrunnisa. “No life can.”
“I’ve known him since he was a child. He was a very calm, gentle and humble human being,” said Badrunnisa. “Always respectful to his elders and down to earth. This kind of thing shouldn’t happen to anybody. What is the government up to?”