‘It has been painful’: Year on, Red Fort blast victims’ families cope with the loss

Last year marked one of the most painful times for the families of the Red Fort blast victims. Nazma, whose brother Jumman was among the 13 killed, expressed the overwhelming sorrow they felt. "Last year has been one of the most difficult of our lives.. so painful. We all loved him a lot," she shared. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed charges against Umar Un Nabi, a doctor from Kashmir who taught at Al Falah University in Faridabad.

The case surrounds an alleged terror module that planned its operation over a year-and-a-half. For Imran, who lost his 21-year-old son Noman in the blast, the pain remains deep. His other son suffers from kidney failure, requiring dialysis. "Perhaps no one is as unhappy as us in the entire country," Imran lamented. Noman, who helped his father with motor repairs, is deeply missed.

Himanshu, whose uncle Ashok was killed, a DTC bus conductor, finds the thought of his loss unbearable. "Tears just flow whenever we think about him," he expressed. The family's finances heavily relied on Ashok's income. The NIA's chargesheet revealed that Umar Nabi was familiar with the Red Fort area and had visited it multiple times prior to the blast.

The allegations against him include considering the Red Fort a symbol of the Indian State and opposing democracy, leading to the terror attack.