GHAZIPUR LANDFILL GARBAGE SLIDE:Garbage slide mars Eid celebrations

NEW DELHI: Later this year, Raj Kumari was supposed to become a bride. But the garbage mound collapse at the Ghazipur landfill site crushed her and the dreams of her family.

He relatives said the incident took place when Raj Kumari was going to collect some documents for her mother. Talking to Millennium Post, her cousin Surender Kumar said that Raj Kumari's wedding was scheduled to take place on December 8, for which the entire family was eagerly planning.

"Four days ago, I had told her that I will support her for the marriage," said the distraught cousin brother.

Another family member said Raj Kumari had been working a few months ago and had quit the job recently. She was going to be married into a family, living in Delhi's Dakshinpuri area.

Even when the news of her death reached her family, arrangements for her marriage were going on at her house.

The second casualty of the accident was Abhishek, a young man in his early 20s. At the time of incident, his cousin brother Amit was with him.

Amit, who was rescued by local people, told Millennium Post that they he had no idea what happened to them while they were on the motorcycle. "We were going slowly and suddenly we were pushed into the drain," said Amit.

Amit added that since childhood he had a close bond with Abhishek, who he said was a helpful person.

His family said that after the incident he was in shock. But on Saturday, he started asking where Abhishek was.

NEW DELHI: For the past 18 years, Abdul Sattar has happily celebrated Eid in Gharoli Extension. But this year, the festival was full of fear, after the a garbage mound at the nearby Ghazipur landfill site collapse on Friday, on the eve of Eid.

"It was a sleepless night. My wife and minor children were awake the whole night," said Sattar.

Talking to Millennium Post, many residents of the Gharoli Extension said that the night before this year's Eid was full of fear. On Saturday, around 10 am, children were seen taking rides on swings set up on the occasion of Eid. Most adults, however, were at the accident spot.

Nadeem, an e-rickshaw driver, said he tried to go to sleep around 1 am, but woke up around 4 am and rushed to the site to check whether any more garbage had fallen.

"In the morning, everyone gathered at the spot praying that no such incident happens again," said Nadeem.

Ayub, a driver, was able to save himself by standing on top of his cab, which sank into a nearby drain due to the garbage slide. He said he had parked his car just a few minutes before the mound collapsed and pushed his car into the drain.

"I broke the window and came out. I was standing on top of my cab and was saved by the residents," said Ayub. However, his car, the source of his livelihood, is now damaged. "For the first time, this Eid does not bring me any joy."

Showing the bruises on his hand, Ayub says that he had recently bought the vehicle and was going to start work for a cab aggregator company.

Residents say it will be tough for them to sleep on Saturday.