Kin stay away from crocodile tears

Further down the road, MP Pappu Yadav’s All India Sanyukt Loktantrik Party also held its own condolence meeting. ‘‘I appeal to my political friends not to play politics over the dead bodies. Today it’s someone’s government, tomorrow it will be somebody else’s,’’ said Gandhi Sangralaya general secretary Razi Ahmed.

Students’ wing of various political parties also held demonstrations and condolence meetings. Not one to be outdone, RJD chief Laloo Prasad Yadav marked the occasion by going to the victims’ houses. He also wrote to President A.P.J. Kalam saying the state government had taken all necessary steps. Two days back, the RJD chief met Himanshu Yadav and Vikas Gupta’s families and convinced Yadav’s family to take the Rs 5 lakh compensation.

Meanwhile, Prashant’s father Laxman Singh wondered if justice will actually come their way. ‘‘Any probe as long as we get justice,’’ he said.