12 years on, city still feels scars of deadly blasts

Hyderabad: The twin bomb blasts that shook Hyderabad city on August 25, 2007 still continue to send tremors of shock among citizens even after 12 years. In the blasts, 44 people were killed and nearly 68 sustained grievous injuries.

On the horrific day, the first bomb exploded at Lumbini Park at 7:45 pm and the second blast happened five minutes later at 7:50 pm at Gokul Chat in Koti.

The bomb squad also diffused two other bombs planted in two different locations in city. The Terrorists Bomb Blasts Victims Association along with the victims and their families would pay homage to the people who lost their lives to the blasts, at Gokul Chat Bhandar in Koti on Sunday.

After years of waiting for justice, the Nampally Special Court in September 2018 awarded death sentence to two Indian Mujahideen terrorists Anique Shafiq Sayeed and Mohammed Akbar Ismail Choudhari. The court also awarded life sentence to Tarik Anjum for providing shelter to the terrorists in Delhi after the blasts.

In the case, the court acquitted two suspects Farooq Sharfuddin Tarkash and Mohammed Sadiq Israr Ahmed Shaik. But the advocates representing NIA said that they would go for appeal in the High Court.

The fight for justice prolongs as three Indian Mujahideen terrorists Riyaz Bhatkal, Iqbal Bhatkal and Ameer Raza Khan are still at large. The families who lost their loved ones to the blasts and victims appeal to the Court to render justice to them as soon as possible.

Joshi Narasimha Sharma (Malakpet) who lost his elder daughter Pratyusha (20), B Anjaiah (Uppal) who lost three members of his family including his younger daughter Sravanthi (14), Sadashiva Reddy (39, Saroornagar) who was seriously injuried, R Chander Naik (27, Baghlingampally) who lost his right eye, and Syed Raheem (67, Saroornagar) who lost his left eye, requested the President to not grant forgiveness to the culprits when they seek mercy from death sentence in the future.

They urged the Central and State governments to help them financially by providing them double bedroom houses, pension facility, health cards, jobs and financial help to sustain their life by establishing small businesses.

The victims expressed that the financial aid provided by the government was not even sufficient to fulfil their medical needs.

President of Terrorists Bomb Blasts Victims Association R Chander Naik, who lost his right eye, has to undergo three major operations to his eyes at L V Prasad Eye Hospital.

He said that he spent lakhs of rupees for his treatment by taking hand loans from friends, relatives and financial institutions.

The government under the existing rules and norms issued a disability certificate to R Chander Naik, which states that he is 30 per cent handicapped, but till date he is not able to find a job.

He demanded that the State government provide a permanent disability certificate to the blast victims so that they can seek benefits under of government schemes.