Cochin Shipyard explosion: Relatives struggle to come to terms with loss

KOCHI: Mohammad Sheriff, a ration dealer at Malippuram in Vypeen, is still struggling to come to terms with the death of his son Ramshad M.M., in the blast at Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL). Speaking to this newspaper, his cousin Abdul Rahman said he joined his new job only a few months ago.  “He completed a degree in mechanical engineering and worked as an apprentice in another firm before joining the new job,” he said. 

The 22-year-old leaves his father, mother and a sister. His body was buried in Hajeed Mosque cemetery at Malippuram. Chembanezhathu House in Eroor, the house of CS Unnikrishnan, the senior fireman of CSL, was filled with people on Tuesday afternoon as the news of the mishap spread.  The 47-year-old was amongst the five killed in the incident. CS Sasi, 49, his elder brother who works as a contract employee in Shipyard, says he came to know of the mishap when he was on his way to Ernakulam. 

He soon reached the Shipyard and heard the tragic news that one of the victims was his brother. The body was cremated after completing all legal formalities. "Unnikrishnan was to complete one year tenure as a duty officer onboard a ship by the end of this month. After completion, he would have moved to the fire station." 

He was working with CSL for the last 15 years and became a permanent employee seven years ago. He leaves wife Sindhu and daughters Athira and Arya.  Athira is a plus two student while Arya, an eighth-grader.   The house of M.V. Kannan at Eroor also saw heart-rending scenes as Velu and Thankamma, his aged parents, wept bitterly near his coffin.  His wife Maya and two kids Sanjana and Sanjith were in a state of shock and inconsolable. His body was cremated in the late afternoon.