Most victims in Lyari building collapse were Hindus

Karachi,Pakistan

The Express Tribune has learned that the majority of the people killed in Friday’s building collapse in the Baghdadi neighborhood of Lyari are members of the Kutchi Maheshwari Meghwar Hindus community. The terrible fall of the five-story abandoned apartment complex claimed the lives of at least 16 community members, and more are suspected to be trapped beneath the debris.

More than 20 Meghwar families were residing in the structure when it collapsed early on Friday morning, according to rescuers and local authorities. The bodies of 16 persons, including Rohit, 25, and his wife Geeta, had been recovered by Saturday night. At least four additional persons are thought to be missing, and rescue efforts are still underway.

The victims will be buried at the Hindu cemetery close to Mowach Goth, and their last ceremonies will be performed at Kutchi Hall in Old Kumharwara. The Meghwar community buryes their dead rather than cremating them, in contrast to the common Hindu custom.

The close-knit community is in sorrow as a result of the tragedy. According to reports, the majority of the victims are members of the same extended family. While mourning family members have congregated at the local Muslim Kutchi Jamaat Khana, their remains have been deposited in cold storage at Bilquis Edhi Maternity Home on Moosa Lane.

According to community spokesman Reema Maheshwari, the funerals will happen on Sunday. “This loss is devastating. She said to The Express Tribune, “Entire families have been destroyed.” “We urge the authorities to support us during this difficult time.”

The names of the deceased are as follows: Ayush Jamna Das, Shani Jamna Vanjora, Kailash Jamna Vanjora, Usha Kailash, Prakash Shivji, Chetan Shivji, Rohit, Geeta, Vandana Kailash, Prabai Kishan Sondha, Prantik Harsi Sondha, Prem Kishan Sondha, and Vandana Kailash.

The occurrence was called “a catastrophe beyond words” by Kutchi Maheshwari Meghwar Panchayat President Lakshman Moraj Bagra. His statement, “Families that were once vibrant and full of life have now been buried under concrete,” urged the government to make sure the impacted families receive the appropriate rehabilitation.

Additionally, Bagra stated that two women hurt in the collapse are receiving medical attention at the hospital. Some tenants who returned to get their possessions were caught in the collapse, he continued, while others had escaped when indications of structural weakness emerged.

The top pontiff of the Shri Panchmukhi Hanuman Mandir, Maharaj Ram Nath, sent his condolences for the loss and offered support to the families of the deceased. “Our entire community has been rocked by this catastrophe. In an interview with The Express Tribune, he stated that the government must guarantee that the survivors receive long-term assistance and other housing.

There are concerns that more bodies might still be buried beneath the rubble, so rescue efforts are still underway. The cause of the building collapse has not yet been the subject of a formal investigation.