Saved extended family, lost own life

R Santhakumar, a neighbour who worked with Abimanyu, said, “From reporting power cuts to handling any issue in our area, the people would first call Anbu (as we fondly addressed Abimanyu). I was with him that night, when we were returning from work, after having parked the vehicle. On seeing the fire, Anbu sent me away from the spot, while he walked over to see if the persons there needed any help. I waited at a bus stop on the adjacent street. Within minutes, once the shutter was opened, I saw the blast and close to 40-50 people were injured and running  helter-skelter.” 

A group of neighbours gathered into Abimanyu’s modest home, even as his wife, 31-yearold Revathi and two children – Dinesh Prasad, a Class 6 student, and Udhayanidhi, a Class 8 student, were in Puducherry, his native place. Venkatesan, a neighbour, said that Abimanyu had settled in the locality almost two decades ago. “Anbu came to live here when he was 18. From that time onwards, the residents here became his extended family. We are worried about the family since Anbu was the bread-winner and has debts to pay off. His wife Revathi was dependant on him. If the government were to offer a job, it would help her raise the children,” he said. 

Santhakumar said that Abimanyu was a sort of a social activist. “The reports saying that people rushed to take selfies is not true. Anbu and Naresh along with other men from our locality, went to see if they could help. From the time he was hospitalised, we have been taking turns to see him. His loss affects us deeply,” said the 27-year-old. 

The Kodungaiyur fire accident, where a fireman died and 47 people were injured, is one of the major incidents where the public has faced the casualty. A Tamil Nadu Fire & Rescue Services (TNFRS) official said that the count would have been much higher, had it not been for the police. “They kept dispersing the crowd. The safety awareness is low as the public tries to find out what happens. Usually, we have around five or six police. When crowds surge, the chances of injury are higher,” said the source.