On November 10, when a car exploded outside the Red Fort Metro station, Bhawani Shankar Sharma (33), a driver employed by a ride hailing app, was at the spot to pick up a passenger. The next thing he remembers is waking up at a hospital and finding out that his car, which he had only bought last December, has been completely destroyed in the explosion.
On Wednesday – the day he is supposed to pay his car’s EMI every month – he received a call from the bank informing him that his installment had bounced.
“I have taken Rs 35,000 as loan to pay rent and school fees of my children. I need the compensation announced by the government and also some time to pay the car’s EMI. My troubles will only grow if I keep borrowing money,” said Sharma, who lives with his mother, wife and three children – the youngest being a year old.
“I suffered injuries to my hands and face, underwent surgeries and now I am sitting at home… My car was my only source of livelihood… it is gone now,” he added.
Sharma is not alone. Many of the victims who had lost their vehicles to the blast are either waiting for the authorities to pay them compensation or return their vehicles that did not suffer much damage.
The Delhi government has announced that victims who sustained permanent disabilities in the blast will receive Rs 5 lakh each, while those seriously injured will be given Rs 2 lakh. Individuals with minor injuries will receive Rs 20,000.
Yasin (25), a resident of Northeast Delhi’s Bhajanpura, had sold his wife’s jewellery to buy an e-rickshaw for around Rs 2 lakh last year. While the e-rickshaw was completely damaged in the explosion, Yasin is yet to receive any compensation.
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“To pay my rent of Rs 5,000, I have borrowed Rs 15,000 from a relative. I am now just sitting at home, looking for jobs…,” said Yasin, who sustained injuries on the head, hands and ear.
“The government should at least give us the money so that we can rebuild our lives. We can’t sit at home… I had sold whatever I had to buy the e-rickshaw,” he added.
Shaurya Rawat (31), hailing from Uttarakhand, had a miraculous escape on November 10, as the explosion occurred while was picking up his sherwani for his wedding on December 3. He recalled that he came to know about the blast only when he returned from the store and saw the area being cordoned off.
His car, which he had parked on the road while he went to pick up his clothes, was damaged in the explosion. While the damage was minimal, even one month after the explosion, he is yet to get it back from the probe agencies.
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“I don’t know when the car will be released… Vehicles, which have not suffered severe damage, should be returned to their owners,” Rawat said.
Car dealer Varun from Euler Motors had sold a tempo delivery van to one Bhupendra on Diwali this year. The car, which was being driven by Bhupendra at the Red Fort area on November 10, suffered some damage in the blast. While Bhupendra is yet to get the car back from the authorities, he has defaulted on his first EMI.
“Bhupendra purchased the vehicle for Rs 8.5 lakh and took Rs 6.5 lakh as loan for the same. I understand he is not at fault but non-payment of EMI will affect not only him but also us, who sold him the car,” said Varun.
