E-Paper
Christmas Day nightmare for the Shahs
An uneasy calm gripped Regency Park II — the condominium building where the Shahs live — on Friday afternoon when residents received the news of the death of Avinash Chandra Shah.
An uneasy calm gripped Regency Park II — the condominium building where the Shahs live — on Friday afternoon when residents received the news of the death of Avinash Chandra Shah.
Hours earlier, the same residential complex had been abuzz with Christmas celebrations in which the Shahs too participated, before leaving for a luncheon appointment in their ill-fated Hyundai I10 car.
The Shahs had moved into Regency Park II five years ago. Avinash's mother also lived with them. Avinash — who had completed his marine training from Directorate of Marine Engineering Training Institute in Kolkata — was home on a vacation and was to celebrate his wedding anniversary on January 23.
Kamal Shah is now admitted in Artemis Hospital and fighting for her life. Her condition is said to be very critical, while daughter Ria (14), who had her shoulder displaced, was discharged from the hospital. Ria is now home and is in trauma. Kamal and Ria were freed from the car after the car windows were broken open.
“For about 20 minutes, his wife and daughter were trapped in the car with Avinash's body lying next to them,” said Raj Agarwal, Avinash's cousin.
“Ria is in a state of shock with her haemoglobin dropping to five.”
Avinash's body could be retrieved after more than two hours of continuous effort.
