Two years on,26/11 still haunts their lives

Even as the 42-year-old Karambir Singh Kang,who was the general manager of The Taj Mahal Palace and Tower at the time of the attack,has begun life afresh with a second marriage,he hasn’t been able to cope up with the loss of his first wife,Niti (40),and both sons Uday (14) and Samar (5),in the carnage. Kang married his college mate and Pune-based hospitality professional,Priya Nagrani,in a hush-hush ceremony in Pune on May 16.

The family of a 22-year-old hotel management postgraduate trainee at Hotel Oberoi-Trident in Mumbai still remembers their girl,Jasmine,and refuses to believe she is gone. Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force (ITBP) Deputy Inspector General Maninder Singh Bhurji and his wife Deep Kaur still recall with horror how their only daughter,Jasmine,fell to terrorists’ bullets on November 26,2008.

A visit to the bereaved families here today on the occasion of second anniversary of attacks showed how feeble,devastated and lonely they feel on losing their kin.

While Kang,who was in Pune when this correspondent called him up,was still not in a position to talk or share anything on his huge loss; his aged parents,Major General (retd) Jagtar Singh Kang (father),Kanwaljit Kaur (mother) and paternal aunt Surinder Kaur were also reluctant to talk about it. recall the old memories when reached at their farmhouse in Kandala village,some 10 km from Mohali. “We want to move out of this tragedy and move forward,” said Kanwaljit at their farmhouse in Kandala village,about 10 km from Mohali.

“It was after Karambir moved as Director of Taj’s Hotel Management Institute in Pune that he met Priya at an alumni meet at Fergussons College,where both had studied together,in January,” recalled Surinder Kaur,who was one of around a dozen family members,who attended Karambir’s second marriage held in a brief ceremony.

Priya Nagrani is a former director (sales and marketing) with Oakwood Premier and Oakwood Residence in Pune. “When Karambir told us about Priya,all of us were very keen that he started a new life,and so we persuaded him hard and arranged his marriage,” said Surinder.

She added: “Since both knew each other in the past,they soon connected and adjusted well. As she understands his loss and grief,Priya has turned out to be a perfect life partner for Karambir to move ahead.”

“We will soon join him in Pune,” said Kanwaljit,adding that not remembering old memories was the best thing for the family. Karambir has not visited his native place after attending his first wife and children’s barsi last November.

At Jasmine’s place in Phase IX,her parents were away in Delhi,but her neighbours and friends revealed that Bhurjis were not yet able to cope up with the loss of their only daughter. Jasmine’s friend Sakshi said,“When they were planning to marry Jasmine off,they had to cremate her. What else could be more devastating for any parents?”

Neighbours said ever since Jasmine’s death,her parents are living under great pain. “We all share their grief,but it seems difficult for them to forget their bubbly daughter,” said a neighbour. Neighbours and friends still remember Jasmine for being so cordial and warm in nature that she was able to easily win over anybody she came across.