Red Fort blast victim’s life not worth just Rs 10L, kin seek govt job for wife

Two days after the cremation of Red Fort blast victim Amar Kataria, hundreds of people gathered at Arya Samaj temple in Sriniwaspuri on Wednesday for his pagdi ceremony — a ritual where the eldest surviving male family member ties a turban to mark the passing of family responsibilities.

When The Tribune visited Kataria’s house in N-Block, a white tent covered the narrow lane. The usually busy street was empty, as nearly everyone from the locality had gone to the nearby temple. Inside, the verandah and corridors were packed with people standing shoulder to shoulder.

Amar’s wife Kriti, his parents and close relatives sat in the front row. Relatives had come from multiple places, including Dwarka, and Faridabad. His friends and locals filled every corner of the temple during the four-hour ceremony.

Amar, 34, ran a pharmaceutical business in Bhagirath Palace, Chandni Chowk. He lived in Sriniwaspuri with his wife Kriti, who taught online tuitions. His father, Jagdish Kataria, runs a tailoring shop in east Delhi’s Mayur Vihar. He recalls calling his son on the fateful day, only to hear from a woman that she had found his phone at the blast site.

Outside the temple, neighbours Poonam and Sunita Madan sat on the stairs, watching the crowd move in and out. Harsh Kataria (40), Amar’s cousin, who stood in the temple corridor with his friends, said, “He always made sure to invite everyone for Diwali parties or family functions.” “He called people days in advance for religious ceremonies,” he said, recalling Amar’s habit of keeping in touch with everyone in the neighbourhood.

Pushkar, another neighbour, who lives just next to Amar’s house, asked, “What is being done to the terrorists? Will they be left without hanging?”

Amar’s cousin Harsh appealed for the government support for Kriti. “His life is not worth just Rs 10 lakh. Kriti should get a government job,” he said. The Delhi Government had earlier announced an ex-gratia compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the victims’ families.

As the prayers continued, whispers about the blast and its aftermath spread quietly through the crowd. Some said Amar might have survived had he reached the site a few minutes later.

Amar was among those killed in the car explosion near the Red Fort on November 10. His body was identified by a tattoo on his arm that read, “Mom my first love, Dad my strength.”