2002-03 blast trial: Deprived of normalcy, kin, survivors slowly rebuild life
‘I NEVER TAKE THE 7.55 TRAIN’
MARCH 13, 2003
Abindranath Gangurde was on CST-Karjat train
After a long day at work on March 13, 2003, retired navyman Abindranath Gangurde, from Kalyan, suddenly found things falling into place: he reached CST just in time for the 7.55 pm fast train to Karjat and got a window seat. The train journey was also turning out to be pleasant than usual.
But everything changed when the train reached Mulund station. “I was sitting next to my colleagues and we were chatting and laughing in the packed train when a blast ripped through the compartment. The lights went off and everything became dark,” 62-year-old Gangurde said.
He lost consciousness. “When I woke up, I found bodies around me. Some of the deceased were my colleagues. It was the worst day of my life,” he recounted.
The retired naval machinist suffered multiple fractures and partial hearing loss. Some of the damage is permanent and he cannot look up without experiencing pain.
Gangurde worked at the Naval Dockyard in Colaba, and on March 13, 2013, he put in extra hours. After the blast, he was taken to a hospital in Mulund before being shifted to Sion Hospital, where he underwent treatment for three months.
“I developed many phobias because of the incident. After I was discharged, I had to take a train back home, but I could not board it. I was trembling. My family members and friends were with me at the time and they helped me board the train. Besides, train is the only commute option for ordinary Mumbaikars,” he said.
But Gangurde has never taken a 7.55 train again. “When I am travelling by train, I don’t let anyone keep a bag on the overhead rack above me,” he said.
Gangurde deposed as a witness during the trial. “Whenever we read about terror attacks, we get very disturbed. We were horrified when the Lahore attack happened,” his wife, Vijaya, said.
‘CULPRITS MUST BE HANGED’
JANUARY 27, 2003
Anita Indulkar’s shows her picture. She was shopping at Vile Parle (E) market
Vile Parle (W) resident Anita Indulkar never shopped in the vegetable market in the east. But on January 27, 2003, she went there with a relative. Moments later, a bomb went off, leaving her with multiple injuries that eventually killed her. The relative lost an eye in the incident.
“We want justice — it should be nothing less than capital punishment,” said Anita’s 33-yearold son, Milind. Anita was admitted to KEM Hospital, where she battled for life for over a month before breathing her last. Six months before her demise, Milind and his two younger siblings had lost their father. “In just six months, our lives were completely upended. I pray that no one goes through such a tragedy,” he said.
The Indulkars have been “frustrated” by the long wait for justice. “All trials should begin and end within a certain period,” Milind said.
He added that Mumbai was still vulnerable to attacks. “The security is lax at many places. There should be no compromise on security because innocent citizens end up paying the price for the lapses,” he said.
‘WE DON’T WANT AN EYE FOR AN EYE JUSTICE’
Marathi singer Anagha Dhomse was 14 when the explosion aboard a train at Mulund station killed her 49-year-old father, Ashok, on March 13, 2013, and took away every sense of normality from the family.
But Anagha’s mother, Vijaya, never gave up and single-handedly raised her and her young brother, Chaitanya, who is now a businessman. Despite the personal loss and the struggles that followed, the family does not believe in ‘an eye for an eye’ justice. “Nobody can bring my father back. We have accepted the reality and tried to build a new life. We believe in the judicial system and we want the culprits to get rigorous punishment. But we don’t think that because my father’s life was taken away, the convicts should suffer the same,” Anagha said.
Ashok worked for MTNL. It has been a 13-year wait for justice for the Dhomses, but they still have complete faith in judiciary.
The blast took place on a CST-Karjat local at Mulund station’s platform No 3. It was the deadliest of the three explosions that took place between November 2002 and March 2003. Eleven people were killed.
Anagha said she and Chaitanya owe their lives and careers to their mother.
“It was not easy for her to raise us on her own, but she never complained. Our father believed that apart from studies, children should also take keen interests in arts and sports. Our mother didn’t let him down and encouraged us to pursue our passions,” Anagha said.
‘I STILL GET NIGHTMARES’
JAN 27, 2003
Virendra Kanu at Vile Parle market
Virendra Kanu, a 46-year-old vegetable vendor, was injured in the blast outside Vile Parle station on January 27, 2003. Over 13 years after the incident, he still suffers from nightmares.
“I sustained permanent mouth injuries, and initially Iused to feel very bad about it. But when I saw other victims and met families who had lost their loved ones, I realised how lucky I had been,” he said. “Every time I visit a temple now, I pray for people’s safety.”
Reports by Gagandeep Dhillon, Alka Dhupkar, Divyesh Singh and Sanjeev Shivadekar
‘I AM ALWAYS ON ALERT’
Khaskeli’s shop was damaged in Jan’03
Anaish Khaskeli’s garment shop near Vile Parle station was damaged in the January 2003 blast. Though he was home at the time, the incident has left him with a heightened sense of alertness. When a Mirror reporter visited the area to find and interview survivors, Khaskeli stopped and questioned him. He demanded the reporter show his identity card.
“Whenever I see someone moving around suspiciously or an unattended object, I immediately inform authorities. It is not possible for the police to fight terror on their own. Citizens can play a vital role by being alert,” Khaskeli said.
The bomb was placed on a bicycle near his shop, which was closed that day. “I was lucky, but I think it is now my duty to do whatever I can for other people’s safety,” he said.
‘It’s a long wait for justice’
Dombivli resident Nandkishore Salvi’s brother, Ramakant, was killed in the train blast. Ramakant worked as a gazetted officer in the Bombay High Court and was returning home that day. His body was recovered in pieces and the family had only his belongings for cremation. Nandkishore, who was present in the court on Tuesday, said the family had waited a long time for justice. “The culprits should be punished at the earliest,” he said.
MARCH 13, 2003
Abindranath Gangurde was on CST-Karjat train
After a long day at work on March 13, 2003, retired navyman Abindranath Gangurde, from Kalyan, suddenly found things falling into place: he reached CST just in time for the 7.55 pm fast train to Karjat and got a window seat. The train journey was also turning out to be pleasant than usual.
But everything changed when the train reached Mulund station. “I was sitting next to my colleagues and we were chatting and laughing in the packed train when a blast ripped through the compartment. The lights went off and everything became dark,” 62-year-old Gangurde said.
He lost consciousness. “When I woke up, I found bodies around me. Some of the deceased were my colleagues. It was the worst day of my life,” he recounted.
The retired naval machinist suffered multiple fractures and partial hearing loss. Some of the damage is permanent and he cannot look up without experiencing pain.
Gangurde worked at the Naval Dockyard in Colaba, and on March 13, 2013, he put in extra hours. After the blast, he was taken to a hospital in Mulund before being shifted to Sion Hospital, where he underwent treatment for three months.
“I developed many phobias because of the incident. After I was discharged, I had to take a train back home, but I could not board it. I was trembling. My family members and friends were with me at the time and they helped me board the train. Besides, train is the only commute option for ordinary Mumbaikars,” he said.
But Gangurde has never taken a 7.55 train again. “When I am travelling by train, I don’t let anyone keep a bag on the overhead rack above me,” he said.
Gangurde deposed as a witness during the trial. “Whenever we read about terror attacks, we get very disturbed. We were horrified when the Lahore attack happened,” his wife, Vijaya, said.
‘CULPRITS MUST BE HANGED’
JANUARY 27, 2003
Anita Indulkar’s shows her picture. She was shopping at Vile Parle (E) market
Vile Parle (W) resident Anita Indulkar never shopped in the vegetable market in the east. But on January 27, 2003, she went there with a relative. Moments later, a bomb went off, leaving her with multiple injuries that eventually killed her. The relative lost an eye in the incident.
“We want justice — it should be nothing less than capital punishment,” said Anita’s 33-yearold son, Milind. Anita was admitted to KEM Hospital, where she battled for life for over a month before breathing her last. Six months before her demise, Milind and his two younger siblings had lost their father. “In just six months, our lives were completely upended. I pray that no one goes through such a tragedy,” he said.
The Indulkars have been “frustrated” by the long wait for justice. “All trials should begin and end within a certain period,” Milind said.
He added that Mumbai was still vulnerable to attacks. “The security is lax at many places. There should be no compromise on security because innocent citizens end up paying the price for the lapses,” he said.
‘WE DON’T WANT AN EYE FOR AN EYE JUSTICE’
Marathi singer Anagha Dhomse was 14 when the explosion aboard a train at Mulund station killed her 49-year-old father, Ashok, on March 13, 2013, and took away every sense of normality from the family.
But Anagha’s mother, Vijaya, never gave up and single-handedly raised her and her young brother, Chaitanya, who is now a businessman. Despite the personal loss and the struggles that followed, the family does not believe in ‘an eye for an eye’ justice. “Nobody can bring my father back. We have accepted the reality and tried to build a new life. We believe in the judicial system and we want the culprits to get rigorous punishment. But we don’t think that because my father’s life was taken away, the convicts should suffer the same,” Anagha said.
Ashok worked for MTNL. It has been a 13-year wait for justice for the Dhomses, but they still have complete faith in judiciary.
The blast took place on a CST-Karjat local at Mulund station’s platform No 3. It was the deadliest of the three explosions that took place between November 2002 and March 2003. Eleven people were killed.
Anagha said she and Chaitanya owe their lives and careers to their mother.
“It was not easy for her to raise us on her own, but she never complained. Our father believed that apart from studies, children should also take keen interests in arts and sports. Our mother didn’t let him down and encouraged us to pursue our passions,” Anagha said.
‘I STILL GET NIGHTMARES’
JAN 27, 2003
Virendra Kanu at Vile Parle market
Virendra Kanu, a 46-year-old vegetable vendor, was injured in the blast outside Vile Parle station on January 27, 2003. Over 13 years after the incident, he still suffers from nightmares.
“I sustained permanent mouth injuries, and initially Iused to feel very bad about it. But when I saw other victims and met families who had lost their loved ones, I realised how lucky I had been,” he said. “Every time I visit a temple now, I pray for people’s safety.”
Reports by Gagandeep Dhillon, Alka Dhupkar, Divyesh Singh and Sanjeev Shivadekar
‘I AM ALWAYS ON ALERT’
Khaskeli’s shop was damaged in Jan’03
Anaish Khaskeli’s garment shop near Vile Parle station was damaged in the January 2003 blast. Though he was home at the time, the incident has left him with a heightened sense of alertness. When a Mirror reporter visited the area to find and interview survivors, Khaskeli stopped and questioned him. He demanded the reporter show his identity card.
“Whenever I see someone moving around suspiciously or an unattended object, I immediately inform authorities. It is not possible for the police to fight terror on their own. Citizens can play a vital role by being alert,” Khaskeli said.
The bomb was placed on a bicycle near his shop, which was closed that day. “I was lucky, but I think it is now my duty to do whatever I can for other people’s safety,” he said.
‘It’s a long wait for justice’
Dombivli resident Nandkishore Salvi’s brother, Ramakant, was killed in the train blast. Ramakant worked as a gazetted officer in the Bombay High Court and was returning home that day. His body was recovered in pieces and the family had only his belongings for cremation. Nandkishore, who was present in the court on Tuesday, said the family had waited a long time for justice. “The culprits should be punished at the earliest,” he said.
