Not aware of his plans to join yatra: Kin of sixth casualty

As per his family, they were not even aware of Sharma’s plans to join the Shobha Yatra and now regret sending him alone. “He has been a member of the VHP-Bajrang Dal in the city for over two years but wasn’t very active since he also runs a utensils shop. On Monday, he left home for work and never returned…” said Deepak, his elder brother.

The family thought Sharma was busy with work but found his shop shut. They started looking for him in the neighborhood as they thought he was partying. Deepak’s worst nightmare came to life when a neighbour suggested that Sharma might have been part of the Shobha Yatra.

“I was shocked and started crying. I had seen the news and knew what all was going on. He rarely attended such events. Why did he leave alone?” said Deepak who then set out to look for his brother in Firozpur Jhirka, Nuh.

“My wife was calling me every 10-15 minutes. Everyone was worried. I walked on same lanes where the violence broke out and followed the path till Sohna. Police were stopping me and asking questions. I kept asking people for help but nobody knew anything. I then decided to check hospitals. I went to almost all hospitals in Nuh and Sohna…” said Deepak.

A challenge for the family was reaching out to VHP leaders, members and Sharma’s friends since the internet was shut. After failed attempts, a local at Sohna Chowk suggested that Sharma and other injured persons could be in Gurgaon. Police said Sharma was shifted to Civil Hospital but they couldn’t identify him earlier. He was undergoing surgery and CT scans when the family arrived.

Sharma’s family lives in Vatika Kunj in Gurgaon. He is survived by his wife and his brother.