An atmosphere of shock and grief enveloped Dahanu town in Maharashtra’s Palghar district, as hundreds of people bade an emotional adieu to the two elderly women killed in Monday’s dastardly terrorist attack on a bus carrying Amarnath Yatris in Jammu & Kashmir at a sombre funeral held on Tuesday night.
The bodies of Nirmala Thakur (53) and Usha Sonkar (54) arrived at Surat in neighbouring Gujarat from Srinagar by an IAF aircraft earlier in the evening and were subsequently air-lifted by a special helicopter arranged by the Maharashtra Government to their hometown of Dahanu where thousands of people turned out at their homes to have last glimpse of the two departed pilgrims.
Both Nirmala and Usha, residents of Dahanu town and the nearby Ashagad village respectively, were cremated together at Dahanu on Tuesday night.
Palghar district guardian Minister Vishnu Sawra, local MlAs Manisha Chowdhary and Pascal Dhanare were among the mourners who paid their last respect to the departed pilgrims.
The Maharashtra Government had earlier in the day announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 each to the bereaved families. The compensation cheques were handed over to the members of the bereaved families soon after the funeral.
Both Thakur and Sonkar families are still come to terms with the passing away of Nirmala and Usha. “My wife was keen on going for Amarnath yatra. I could not accompany her because I had some work to attend to... We got a call from authorities in the morning. I can just not believe that she is no longer with us,” Usha’s husband Mohanlal Sonkar said.
“She was our lone sister among seven brothers. She was a mother to 4 girls, three of whom are married, and a son. My sister was a God fearing woman, Usha’s brother Guddu Sonkar said.
Expressing his shock over the death of his mother, Nirmala’s 30-year-old Pradip Thakur said, “My mother used to go for pilgrimages every year and this year she decided to go for Amarnath yatra. We expected her to return safely. But, I did not realise that a man-made tragedy would take her away from our lives”.
“I am told my mother was sitting in a window seat and she became the direct target for the terrorists. My mausi Bhagyamani, also a Dahanu resident, was sitting next my mother in the bus. She sustained injuries on her leg because of the broken glass splinters,” Bharat said.
Nirmala’s husband, Bharat Thakur (60) closed down the family’s milk dairy business a few years ago. He now leads a retired life.
Earlier in the day, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis condemned the “cowardly attack” Amarnath Yatra piligrim and announced a Rs 10 lakh compensation to the next of kin of two women from the state killed in the attack.
“Maharashtra strongly condemns the cowardly attack on #AmarnathYatra pilgrims in J&K. Our deepest condolences to the bereaved
families.....2 #AmarnathPilgrims from Maharashtra lost lives in the yesterday’s terrorist attack at J&K (Usha Sonar & Nirmala Thakur) from Dahanu.... 3 #AmaranthPilgrims from Maharashtra are injured & under treatment at a hospital in J&K. GoM is in constant touch with GoI & J&K authorities,” Fadnavis said in a series of tweets put out in the morning.
A separate tweet put out by his office stated: “Maharashtra CM @Dev_Fadnavis announces IJ10lakh to kin of #AmarnathYatraPilgrims from Maharashtra who lost lives in #AmarnathTerrorAttack”