GURGAON: “Life has been hard on me,” said an inconsolable Rohit Mahto, who lost his father Dhananjay in a wall collapse at Signature Global Company in the Sidharavali area of Gurgaon on Sunday evening. Rohit, who works as a flower decorator at events, had already lost his mother three years ago and was their only child. For the seven migrant workers who died in the tragic incident — six from Jharkhand and one from Rajasthan — leaving their homes was a difficult but necessary decision shaped by their circumstances. In recent months, they arrived in the city carrying with them the hope of building a better life for the families they had left behind. “I spoke to my father over the phone a day before the accident. This is devastating for me,” Rohit said.
While some a parent, some lost their only child. For the families, the incident has left behind not just insurmountable grief but an uncertain future.“My husband was to receive his first salary on March 12, but he died before that,” said Jharna, wife of Bagirath Gope, who died in the incident.Bagirath, Jharna said, was the sole breadwinner of the family. With his demise, Jharna, their four daughters and a son, and Bagirath’s father, are now left in lurch.“My husband came to this city to earn a decent livelihood. The wall collapse has shaken our world,” Jharna added. Like Bagirath, several of his colleagues, too, arrived in the city recently in search of better work opportunities.Another deceased worker, Sanjeev Gope, was the only child of his parents. His father, Munshiram Gope, travelled to the city to bring his son’s body back home for the last rites. Sanjeev came to the city two months ago and was the father of two daughters.“Our family is already very poor. With the death of my only child, I don’t know how I will take care of everyone,” Munshiram said. “The compensation was offered to us, but that cannot bring back my son,” he added.For the families, the journey to the city, by road, was itself long and painful. It took them nearly two days to reach before they could finally bring back the bodies of their loved ones.Another deceased worker, Parmeshwar Mahto, came to the city three months ago. He is survived by three children who are in college and was the sole breadwinner of the family. His son Tapan Kumar Mahto received his body.
