Family Awaits Info About Youth Who Joined Sigachi Two Days Back

Hyderabad: Justin was 20 and lived in Patancheru, not very far from Sigachi Industries’ factory at Pashamylaram in Sangareddy district. He joined the factory as a packer on June 28.

Two days later, on June 30, he was caught in the devastating explosion at the factory that claimed many lives. And he is now presumed to be dead, and among the still to be retrieved bodies, believed to be stuck in the rubble of what had just become his workplace.

Outside the factory compound, three days after the incident on Wednesday, members of his family — his two sisters, one older and another younger, an aunt, and an uncle — waited for some news about Justin.

“Nobody was telling us anything. This morning, we stood in front of Damodar (health minister Damodar Rajanarasimha) sir’s car, stopping him. He spoke with us and said efforts are being made to search for the missing persons and that we would be told as soon as there is some news. He also gave his phone number and said we can call him for any help,” Justin’s aunt Shilpa said.

“Justin did not listen to us when we told him not to go to work. He did not even tell us that he came to the factory on Saturday to sign up. He came on Monday morning after breakfast,” said Sneha, his elder sister, who is not much older than Justin.

“He just completed the second year of his medical lab technician undergraduate degree. We told him not to take up this work. But he did not listen. He went on Saturday and came back on Sunday night. After breakfast on Monday, he went back to work,” Sneha said.

“Till now, we were waiting in a shed inside the compound. We wanted to stay there and make sure work is going on, as it is three days till now. They are working very slowly. Had they worked faster, maybe Justin and a few others who they say are trapped in the collapsed building’s rubble, could have been found alive,” Shilpa said.