11 Pakistanis with Gaya links untraceable since train tragedy

Gaya, Feb 21 (UNI) A pall of gloom descended at Karimganj locality of Gaya town following '' no information'' about the fate of 11 members of a family settled in Pakistan who had boarded the Samjauta Express on February 18 on way to Atari.

The Pakistani nationals including six children and two women recently came to India to visit their relatives.

Ms Maimun Nissa's son Shabbir Ahmad, daughter-in-law, three grandsons and a granddaughter besides her son's father-in-law and some other family members who had boarded the train were not ''traceable'' since terror attacks on the train. None of them figures in the list of casualties and injured.

Their relatives in Gaya confirmed that they had not reached their destination in Pakistan.

Shabbir migrated to Pakistan about 16 years ago after his marriage, while his mother Mainon Nissa and brother Javed besides other family members remained in India and are presently residing in Karimganj locality of Gaya. He was an employee in a multi-national company in Pakistan.

Mohammad Javed, the younger brother of Shabbir had rushed to Panipat soon after reports of train blast to ascertain the fate of his brother and other relatives.

Mr Javed told UNI over telephone from Delhi that identification of victims was extremely difficult as the limbs of the victims were littered all around the site of explosion, while many bodies were charred beyond recognition.

Authorities had collected his blood samples to match it with the findings of the DNA test of the victims, which was the only option left for identification.

''I would camp in New Delhi for some more days for the DNA test report which may provide clue to find my relatives' bodies'' said Mr Javed, who was sure about deaths of his relatives in the incident.

Partially burnt passports and other travel documents of his three relatives which were recovered during the search and rescue operation bore the testimony of their deaths, he added.

UNI