■ Four young persons from Nagpur were among the 26 who lost their lives on Samruddhi Mahamarg after their bus caught fire enroute to Pune on Saturday. The deceased have been identified as Ishant Gupta (20), a resident of Dabha; Zoya alias Gudiya Shiekh, (26), a resident of Nirala Society, Motha Tajbag; her friend Riya Somkuwar (21), a resident of Kumbhare Colony, New Kamptee and Kaustubh Kale (26), a resident of Manewada. One Ayush Ghadge, a resident of Nagpur, survived the accident as he managed to break open the windshield and jumped off the ill-fated bus.
‘Ammi, Ja Rahi
Hoon’ were her
last words
■ Staff Reporter :
“AMMI, Ja Rahi Hoon,” were the last
words heard by the family members
of 27-year-old
Zoya alias Gudiya
J a m a l u d d i n
Shaikh, one of the
deceased among
the 26 persons
who lost thier lives
on Samruddhi
Mahamarg while
travelling in a private bus that
caught fire in the
wee hours of Saturday.
The death of Zoya, the sole provider
for her family, left her family shattered and engulfed in grief. She was
residing with her mother, Husnara
Begum, and siblings, Azhar Sheikh
(31) and Zakiruddin (24), in a rented house near Nirala Society in Tajbagh.
A local resident said that the family had been struggling economically after the
untimely demise of their father eight years ago. Due to their father's death, the
children lost their educational opportunities.
After completing Class 12, Zoya took the responsibility of the family and secured
a job in an event company. She ensured that her mother and brothers had their
basic needs met. Zoya’s elder brother, Azhar, worked for DishTV, while Zakiruddin
worked as a labourer with a tile contractor, the person said. On Friday afternoon,
Zoya bid farewell to her family, uttering the words, “Ammi ja rahi hoon,” as she
left for the event in Pune. Little did anyone know that it would be the last time
they would hear her voice.
The tragedy struck when Zoya was enroute Pune in the bus of Vidarbha Travels.
The news of Zoya's untimely demise was conveyed to the family by her nephew,
Sultan, leaving them in a state of shock and deep sorrow. With Zoya’s untimely
death, the family not only lost their primary source of income, but also a beloved
member who tirelessly cared for their well-being.
The Sheikh family’s financial situation was so bad that they had not even celebrated the recent Eid. Now, the tragic loss of Zoya has made it worse. As a person selflessly dedicated and committed to her family, she leaves behind a void
which can’t be filled.
Job aspirant
dies with dream
unfulfilled
Kamptee Correspondent :
AMONG the victims of the bus
tragedy at Buldhana was Riya Ganesh
Shyamkuvar, a 19-
year-old resident
of Kumbhare
Colony in New
Kamptee. Riya,
filled with hope
and aspirations,
had recently completed her Hotel
M a n a g e m e n t
course in Mumbai
and was anticipating a dream job opportunity in Pune.
However, fate dealt her with a cruel
blow as she was charred in the fire,
along with her friend, Gudiya Shaikh,
a resident of Nagpur.
A pall of gloom descended upon
Kamptee after the news of Riya’s death in the bus tragedy spread in the town. The family members received the
confirmation about Riya’s death at around 11 am on Saturday. They rushed to
Sindkhed Raja. Riya's journey to pursue her dreams in Pune had started with
completion of a Hotel Management course in Mumbai. She had returned from
Mumbai to her hometown just two months ago. Gudiya had previously secured
a confirmed ticket forVidarbha Travels, while Riya's ticket remained unconfirmed.
So, they decided to travel together on Gudiya’s ticket, unaware of the dreadful
fate that awaited them, he said. Riya, the youngest sibling, among four sisters
and two brothers, was dreaming to support the family which had been struggling financially. With both parents working as manual labourers, the family was
residing in a rented room. Riya’s determination was the hope for the family to
alleviate their hardships, a resident of her area said.
He was on the
bus for a Pune
job interview
■ Staff Reporter
THE hopes and dreams of Kaustubh
Kale, a young job seeker from Nagpur,
were shattered
when he became
one of the victims
of a horrific bus
accident.
Kaustubh, a resident of Swami
Samarth Nagari on
Besa-Pipla Road,
had recently
applied for a job in
Pune. His interview was scheduled for Monday. On
Friday afternoon, he bid farewell to
his parents, seeking their blessings,
and boarded the bus bound for Pune.
Little did he or his family know that
it would be the last time they would
see him alive. During his journey, Kaustubh called his elder sister around 1 am. The conversation was cut short
when he assured her that he would call again soon.Tragically, the accident occurred
within minutes after their conversation, which left his family in a state of shock
and disbelief. The news of the accident reached Kaustubh’s family on Sunday
morning. They learnt about the horrifying accident on the television. Soon after,
they learnt that their beloved son was among the victims. Kaustubh's sisters
recalled his determination to secure a good job. With one sister residing in
Pandharkawada and the other living with Kaustubh. They were supporting each
other through life's challenges. Kaustubh's parents were informed that he had
been injured in the accident.
Ayush survived
mishap, escaped
just in time
■ Staff Reporter :
AYUSH Ghadge is among the lucky
few who escaped the ghastly accident that claimed
26 lives on
Saturday.
Ayush boarded
the bus of
Vidarbha Travels
from Butibori. As
per the initial plan,
he and his three
friends were to
board the same
bus. However, the
plan changed and he boarded the bus,
while his three friends boarded
another bus fromWani.Their bus was
a few minutes’ distance behind
Vidarbha Travels’ bus heading to
Pune. As Ayush told mediapersons,
after a dinner break,VidarbhaTravels’ bus resumed its journey towards Pune. Around 1.30 am, he was shaken out of
his sleep by a loud thud and a couple of fellow passengers banging on him. He
realised that something was wrong.
He and some other passengers started hitting the window panes to get out of
the bus. He called his friends on their cellphone. Within minutes, the bus his
friends were travelling in, reached the spot. Ayush and a few other passengers
managed to come out of the Vidarbha Travels’ bus just in time. His friends were
relieved to see that Ayush had escaped unhurt.