They were waiting for a reunion, but not this way

“One after another, three bullets pierced through Jasmine’s right arm before she fainted,” said her colleague, who had somehow managed to duck for cover. Jasmine bled profusely and was totally unconscious when she was rushed to hospital, said eyewitnesses. “Doctors tried their best but failed to revive her,” said a hotel official who accompanied Jasmine’s parents to Mohali from Mumbai, along with a few of her other colleagues. Jasmine’s father Maninder Singh Bhurji, a serving Deputy Inspector General (DIG) with the Indo-Tibetan Border Force (ITBP) posted at Bhanu near Chandigarh, was not in a condition to speak to the media. He was, however, overheard telling his colleagues that according to doctors “Jasmine probably died of shock following bullet injuries.” The bullets had missed her vital organs.

The family had planned a housewarming ceremony of their new house in Mohali on Sunday. Jasmine and her elder brother Parmeet, an electrical engineer with the DLF in Gurgaon, were supposed to join the celebrations, for which even invitation cards had been sent out. Harbhajan Singh, a neighbour, said the DIG and his wife Deep were busy making final arrangements for the function and waiting eagerly for the children.

As the ambulance brought Jasmine home, relatives and friends rushed to help her father and brother take out the body from the vehicle. Inside, Jasmine’s mother was inconsolable. Bhurji and Parmeet watched the proceedings patiently as people paid their last respects to the terror victim.

At 3.45 pm, it was time for the final journey. A yellow bridal attire, chura and cosmetics were placed on Jasmine’s body. The DIG bid adieu to his daughter by placing a wreath at her feet, after which hundreds followed the funeral procession to the crematorium in Phase VI, where Bhurji and Parmeet jointly lit the pyre amid heart-rending scenes — her mother still inconsolable.

Taj GM too numb to speak
Having lost his wife and two children, Taj Mahal Hotel general manager Karambir Singh Kang was too traumatised to speak. Also a resident of Mohali, Kang stood helplessly outside the hotel as Niti (40), Uday (14) and Samar (5) burnt to death. “I am not in a condition to talk or make any comment. I don’t even know what has actually happened and what else is in store for me,” said Kang when this correspondent called him up on his phone.
Kang is still in Mumbai, waiting to receive whatever is left of his three nearest and dearest people. He was incidentally away to attend a meeting when his wife and children were trapped inside their room after a grenade explosion had set it on fire on Wednesday night. Till midnight, Kang was in touch with Niti over phone and kept insisting that she run away with the boys, but it was not possible. Surrounded by gun-toting terrorists, Niti had locked themselves inside a toilet.
Surjit Bains, Kang’s aunt who is attending to all those pouring in at their Mohali residence, told Newsline that his father Major General Jagtar Singh Bains (retd) and mother Kamaljit landed in Mumbai from abroad on Friday to join their son.
“I talked to my brother and he said they were still waiting for the grim battle to end before they could get the mortal remains of the lost family members,” she added.
“The last rites will be performed in Mumbai,” said Surjit, adding that she expected Kang and his parents to come to Mohali for the antim ardas.