Mumbai: Teen who lost dad leads group in helping Ghatkopar victims

Krisha Veera (in black t-shirt) at the crash site. Pics/Nimesh Dave

Survivors of the Siddhi Sai Apartment crash in Ghatkopar West are mourning their losses. And the children from the area are helping them to pick up the pieces, quite literally.

Even as bodies are being pulled out, a group of teenagers aged 16-17, instead of getting scared, has come together to help the residents trace their belongings from the debris.

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Krisha Veera (in black t-shirt) leads the way at the collapse site

And leading them is a girl who knows loss - 16-year-old Krisha Veera, who lost her father to a heart attack just 16 days ago.

While the BMC, fire brigade and the police are busy clearing up the debris of the collapse, which claimed 17, the teenagers with pens and papers can be seen searching for residents to jot down who has lost what in the tragedy. The list is quite long, with people complaining about important documents, gold jewellery and money going missing.

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Making piles
The group of 14 has been segregating the items retrieved from the debris. All belongings have been kept on the premises of the Jain temple located behind Sai Apartment. The teenagers, with help from three adults, are making separate heaps of different items inside a room of the temple - clothes, documents, utensils and other valuables. They have also hung up a list of all the goods recovered along with the names of their owners, who have been located.

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"While going through the items, if we find any ID card or documents, we try to identify the owner through them. We are handing over essentials and valuables to the police, wherever required," said Shetal Shah, one of the adults guiding the youngsters.

The bravehearts
Veera, who passed her SSC this year, said, "My building is opposite Sai Apartment. I saw the crash. I am still struggling to get over my dad's death, so I know the pain of losing someone close. I could feel the residents' pain and, hence, decided to help."

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Another student from the society, Priyank Shah, 17, said they saw bodies being pulled out from the debris. "As we are from the same locality, we knew most of them. Though we can't bring back their loved ones or homes, we can try to make it easy for them in whatever way possible," he added.

These youngsters know everything about the tragedy. Ask them who was pulled out when, how many were injured, how many died and other details, and they would be able tell it all.

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"We never expected something like this to happen. At a time when I am grieving my own loss, helping these people is giving me a sense of peace," said Veera.

The spirit of Mumbai
A Jain temple in the locality is feeding the hundreds of BMC, fire brigade and police officials, who have been working non-stop, supplying breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner. Yesterday, a truck carrying food enough for 300 people reached the spot for the tired staffers. In the morning, 400 people were served tea and theplaas. "Many senior citizens have come forward to help us. Even senior police officers visiting the spot are eating here," said Rajesh R Morabia, a member of the Jain sangh.

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Call of duty
Among the hundreds working round the clock to clear the debris is civic staffer Rajaram Shinde, 58, who has been with the BMC for the past 30 years. He was supposed to take his son for admission in a Vasai college, but he didn't because duty called. "My wife is illiterate, so only I could take him. But duty is more important. I have been here since yesterday and haven't slept. I haven't seen such a horrible situation, except one in 2005," he said.

14
No. of youths involved in the clean-up