Judgement day for Gokul Chat, Lumbini Park bombers

Hyderabad: The breezy night of August 25, 2007, was shattered by two explosions, minutes apart from one another, at the Lumbini Park and Gokul Chat. The blasts claimed 42 lives and maimed another 50 persons who have fought to survive this treacherous ordeal. The counterintelligence cell charged eight persons, and 11 years later a verdict is about to be declared.

While the accused will pay for their deeds, 50 people have battled days and months after being marred by the explosion. Their stories of bravery, transformation and silent struggle remains in the dark.

A four-year-old girl at the time of the blast, was found disoriented calling out ‘ammi.’ In the midst of the smoke and destruction. Her panicked call was heard by a couple who was passing by the blast site, and urged them to her aid. Later identified as Sania, the little girl was rushed to the hospital and the police was notified. 

Papalal and his wife, began to form a strong bond with the child almost instantly, having no children of their own, Sania was a blessing that was bestowed on the family amongst the chaos and loss of life on the day of the blasts. 

Sania in the care of Papalal, despite threats to his life for adopting a Muslim girl, is now celebrating her 16th birthday. Every year since the blasts, Sania celebrates her birthday on the anniversary of the blasts, as that is the day her life began anew. Sania  says, “I want to  become a police officer, so I can find children who were lost, like me,” after one blinding white light and loud noise changed her life. 

Another story of death, is recalled by a distraught  Bade Anjayya and his wife, Bade Lakshmi, who lost their 14-year-old daughter, Sravanthi, to the explosion at Gokul Chat. 

The family was visiting the nearby Hanuman temple, when Sravanthi had a desire to eat toffees from Gokul Chat. 

Anjayya’s voice breaks as he reiterates how he stayed back at the temple, and Sravanthi left with the driver and a few family members to eat at the famous chaat outlet. 

Anjayya said, “I received a call from my daughter-in-law who suspected a gas cylinder had exploded in the area where Sravanthi had gone, I rushed there on my two-wheeler, only to find, it was not a gas explosion but a bomb.” 

Anjayya saw contorted bodies strewn lifeless, cold empty eyes staring back at him, chappals strewn with specks of blood. The dust filled air choking him, people screaming, while his heart was sinking as none of the voices he heard was that of his daughter. It was not long before realization struck him, he would never seen her ever again.

The victims and their families cannot get back their loved ones or their normal lives. 

The investigations of the blasts have come to an end on August 27, and the victims hope that the court judgement will give them some solace.