The Jaiswals were planning a grand party for 8-yr-old Anshul

The entire family, four of whom died in the flames, was planning to throw a surprise birthday party for its youngest member, Anshul whose birthday was on February 24. Fondly called Chikoo, Anshul (8) was the youngest victim in the accidental fire which erased all the three generations of the Jaiswal family within a few minutes. In addition to the grand celebration for their beloved grandson, Pradeep Jaiswal along with other family members had made elaborate plans to do a havan on Anshul’s birthday as part of their plan to expand their dry cleaning shop.

Remembering his grandson, the grandfather said: “Anshul’s birthday was on February 24. He was pampered by everybody. We all had prepared a surprise birthday party in the evening where we would have called all our relatives and neighbours.”

Looking after the influx of locals and distant relatives who were coming at the M block house to pay respects to Jaiswals, he added: “The toughest job for a man is to bury his son and grandson. Unfortunately, there is no son left in the family who will perform the last rites. But being Anshul’s maternal grandfather, that painful responsibility of cremating has fallen on my shoulders.”

Komal, Pradeep’s daughter who was married in 2013 was living close to her family in the G-Block.

She said: “It is impossible for us to believe that our family is no more. So far, we have only told my mother that father has died. Rajan was very close to her. We will disclose the news of Rajan’s death only when their bodies come to our house.”

Brijmohan, a close friend, who owns Deepak Digital Studio next to Bobby Dry cleaners said: “Saroj ji used to sit and look after the day-to-day workings of Bobby Dry cleaners. While Pradeep was into the DTC service and their son, Rajan used to look after their second dry cleaning shop named SK dry cleaners. Their main shop, Bobby dry cleaners, was a landmark building. Anyone who had to come to Shahdara was told to come near Bobby dry cleaners.”