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Samjhutta Express blast victims buried in an unkempt graveyard
This story was pretty sad:
Panipat (Haryana), Feb 18 (ANI): The graveyard in Panipat, Haryana, where 29 Pakistani victims of the Samjhauta Express train blast lie buried, continues to be in a state of neglect even a year after the incident.
The bodies of the Pakistani passengers, many of whom were burnt beyond recognition, were buried at the Mehrana village graveyard near Panipat after consulting relatives and Haryana Waqf Board officials.
Residents have demanded that the graveyard be properly maintained and each grave should be provided with a tombstone with the name of the deceased.
They said the present practice of identifying each grave with a number was an insult to the deceased.
Relatives of the deceased expressed their anguish over the neglect.
“The dead bodies have been claimed but still there are no nameplates. These numbers should be removed from the graves and a proper nameplate should be engraved. Stones are already in bad shape and will get worst in few more days,†said Ameed Ahmad, a resident.
The caretaker of the graveyard also lamented the apathy of the authorities.
“Earlier, they had decided that a museum should be built here, but then nothing has been done. Atleast a boundary wall should be made because stray animals come here and create a mess,†said Sakoor Ahmad, the graveyard’s caretaker.
Two home-made bombs ripped the Samjhuta Express carrying around 527 passengers from New Delhi to Lahore, almost at midnight exactly a year ago.
Sixty-eight passengers died when two bogies of the train caught fire near the Deewana Railway Station, about 10 km from Panipat.
Most of the victims were Pakistanis. The Indian Government termed it ‘an act of terror’ apparently aimed at undermining the peace process between the two countries.
The Samjhauta rail link was restored in 1976, but was stopped after an attack on the Parliament on December 13, 2001. It was started again in 2004. (ANI)
February 24th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
Well, there are places where the living exist under even more appalling conditions…The governments of India and Pakistan have a lot of money to spare for weapons, bombs and other war-machinery, but not for the people…living or dead…
February 25th, 2008 at 11:12 am
The cheap loud-mouth Pakistani Minister for Railways Shaikh Rasheed should have resigned immediately… but he ha no character and absolutely no shame. Thank God., and May Allah shower his choicest mercy on the Lion of Kashmir Sheikh Abdullah whose vision proved absolutely correct. Sheikh’s vision was superior to Iqbal and Jinnah.
February 25th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Um, Dastagir, for all his failings, how is Shaikh Rasheed Ahmed at fault for the neglect of a graveyard in Haryana? Blame the local Waqf Board or perhaps the Panipat municipality, not any Railway Minister (whether Indian or Pakistani)!
Come to that, whatever the relative merits of Sheikh Abdullah’s vision of India vis-a-vis those of the other gentlemen you named how is the comment relevant to ***this*** topic?
February 25th, 2008 at 6:30 pm
Dastgeer Saheb, I am also at a loss as to why Sh Rashid should be held responsible - Panipat does not fall into the jurisdiction of Pakistan??
And also Sh Abdullah…there is little connection…
For once I am in absolute agreement with Ajit ji
thanks, Raza Rumi