Search for dead relatives at Swaroop Rani Nehru hospital

Adjusting his spectacles several times before looking at the blurred black and white photos of the unidentified deceased at Swaroop Rani Nehru hospital, 65 year old B R Mishra skipped several heartbeats trying to identify the face of his niece, Indira Devi, from among the photos of victims who have not been identified yet. Mishra was relieved not to find a picture of his niece among those of the dead and gathered strength to go looking for Indira all over again, still fearing whether she is dead or live.

Like Mishra, there were several anxious kin of victims on the premises of SRN hospital looking for dear ones missing since the time tragedy struck Allahabad Junction on last Sunday night. Those relatively familiar with the hospital knew exactly were to go but rural folk were confused and needed help.

"I am trying to locate my sister Shanta Bai from last evening and no one is able to give me a clue...please, someone help!" was the lament of 58 years old Pramila Bai Borekade, from Bhalaghat, MP.

Meanwhile, as all attention shifted to SRN hospital, the premises had more OB (outdoor broadcast) vans than ambulances. From the main gate of the hospital, RAF, PAC and local police cops were seen standing all day through, as VIPs and others visited the hospital to meet the injured and ask for their well being.

13 seriously injured persons have been admitted to the Surgical ICU, while 12 are being treated at ward number 2, four at ward number 16 and one, Sanath Kumar, at Anesthesia ICU. All the bodies at the mortuary have been identified and 18 unidentified bodies were kept at MLN Medical College, out of which six were identified, said Saurabh Dubey PRO of the medical college. Proper medical help is being provided to those admitted and the hospital has pressed eight ambulances into service, two were functioning as mini ICU's, he added.

Help had also come from some of MLAs of Samajwadi Party (SP), who were seen sitting in front of the mortuary with all details of the dead and injured along with names of hospitals where they were being attended. "The black and white photos of the unidentified dead bodies along with the details are helping the kin of the victims identify them," said SP MLA, Satyveer Munna.

The railways arranged for wooden boxes to carry the identified bodies which would be sent to their family members.

Monday 11 February 2013

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