Agonising wait for 21 missing persons

Trivandrum - Dileep, in whose car they went to Paravur, miraculously escaped death as he along with the other friend went out to fetch drinking water.

 The pregnant wife of 28-year-old youth who has been missing since the devastating explosion at the Puttingal temple at Paravur in Kerala on Sunday is "hoping against hope" her husband will be found alive.
The family of Anulal at Kazhakoottam in Trivandrum are running from pillar to post to get any clue about his whereabouts for the last three days but the searchers have drawn a blank. Anulal, a contract employee at the technical wing of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre at Trivandrum, had gone to Paravur on Saturday evening along with two of his friends. The three had stationed themselves close to the warehouse where the materials for the fireworks were stored as the son of the contractor who organised the fireworks display was their common friend.
Dileep, in whose car they went to Paravur, miraculously escaped death as he along with the other friend went out to fetch drinking water. By the time they returned the warehouse was blown into pieces. Dileep, who lost one of his legs after he was hit by a concrete piece, is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Trivandrum.
Dileep said he and his friend would have perished in the explosion if they did not feel the urge for the water. "Almighty has saved our lives," says Dileep.
Dileep said he had seen Anulal running after the warehouse exploded. He thought his friend would be in some hospital but the search by his family members and friends in all hospitals in Kollam and Trivandrum has not yielded any clues so far.
Anulal's wife Chothi, who is in a devastated condition, is hoping that she will get back her husband. The local people, led by Congress leader M.S. Anil, are continuing their search. This is not an isolated case. Families of 20 other missing persons are engaged in similar search. They could not find the body of their kin in 13 bodies that remain unidentified in Kollam general hospital and Trivandrum Medical College hospital.
The police, who sifted through the temple debris, could not find any body or traces of body parts. If the missing persons are dead, their families may not get the compensation announced by the state and federal governments if their bodies or body parts that can establish their identity are not found.
Meanwhile, the state government has decided to take up the protection of two children orphaned by the fire mishap. Krishna and Kishore lost their parents Bency and Baby Girija, hailing from Kurumandal near Paravur, in the accident. While Krishna is studying in Class 10, Kishore is a Class 7 student.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Tuesday directed revenue principal secretary to submit a report for providing protection to the two children, who have no close relatives to look after them. Chandy said the cabinet meeting on Thursday will take a decision on this.
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