The survivors' saga of sorrows...

He was the lone survivor, without any visible injuries even after jumping from the seventh floor of the blazing Carlton Towers.

Eight others who followed suit and jumped from the seventh floor were not lucky enough. They fell to death one after the other. But a year later, with each passing day Mojmul Hussain finds his life being crippled.

“I am totally depending on medicines for survival. The pain in my back has become a regular phenomenon,” says Mojmul.

He says, he experiences sudden pains in his back which leave him writhing on the floor. Several examinations were conducted but nothing could be detected. Doctors say that there could be a fracture in the back but they are unable to trace it. He is being treated by a well-known orthopaedic.

A native of Assam, Mojmul Hussain joined the same day as a security guard in GDA Software when tragedy struck the Carlton Towers. Most of Mojmul’s meagre salary goes towards his treatment. “I have been asked to use a waist belt, but its hardly of any use,” says Mojmul Hussain.

Rani, another survivor, is unable to speak loud. According to her husband, “Rani cannot speak clearly and suffers from breathing problem if she tries to speaks in a high pitch.” The smoke has left hers lungs damaged and she gets frequent asthma attacks.

Mojmul and Rani are only two among several victims of the tragedy, who are suffering from the aftermath of the tragedy. The Government was quick to announce compensation to the fire victims. But till date, they have not received an single paisa from the Government. Says Rani’s husband, “Thousands of rupees are spent during every visit to hospital. Since we are not financially sound, it is becoming difficult for us to bear the medical expenses,” he added.