It was a dark day at Sector 9, Vidhyadhar Nagar this Sankranti as the entire neighbourhood followed dead silence after five members of the Garg family at house number 39 were charred to death early Saturday.
The skies above the colony did not witness one kite flying as the residents chose to either remain inside the house or be with the remaining family members.
Shaurya, 24-year-old nephew of Sanjeev Garg, owner of the house, who was visiting the family but ended up being a victim of the horrendous tragedy, was cremated Sunday afternoon, after his family arrived.
According to Subhash Agarwal, a family friend, the remaining three members of the family, Sanjeev Garg, Preeti Garg, and Sanjeev’s mother, have temporarily shifted to the third floor of house number two of the sector.
The second day was melancholic yet busy for the family as they were being visited by several friends and relatives from different parts of the country.
None of the administrative and political officials visited the family on Sunday. However, several political leaders including BJP MP Ramcharan Bohra had visited the spot on Saturday.
The family now awaits the reports of the Forensic Laboratory to understand the cause of fire.
“None of the families celebrated Sankranti in our neighbourhood. Everyone stayed indoor. We are still trying to get over the shock of losing our neighbours. We all are with the family.”
- Vishal Bhardwaj, neighbour
“There was no kite on any of the roofs of sector 9. As far as I know, the families did not even cook anything special to mark the occasion. All administrative activities have been closed.”
- Subhash Agarwal, family friend.
Former chief minister Ashok Ghelot refrained from celebrations this Makar Sankranti following the fire tragedy at Vidhyadhar Nagar of Jaipur. The fire claimed five lives on Saturday. Gehlot had returned to Jaipur from a tour to Bikaner the same evening and decided to stay away from festivities. Even as he greeted the state citizens on the auspicious day, he personally avoided any celebration at his official residence at Civil Lines, Jaipur.
