As many as 750 people, including citizens of the city, religious leaders, and elected representatives of the region, gathered here on Saturday to pay their respects to the victims of the plane crash that claimed 158 lives on May 22.
The organisers, the Sarvajanika Shraddhanjali Samiti, coordinated with the leaders of several places of worship to hold a silent prayer at 6 p.m. and pray for the deceased.
The programme began with a half-hour light classical music (Bhavagite), with songs specially composed to mourn the victims of the crash. Following that, religious leaders of Sikh, Muslim, Christian and Hindu faiths prayed and offered tributes to the victims. Vidyatirtha of Palemar Math led the gathering in offering floral tributes to the victims.
Offering his condolences to the deceased and their families, Rev. Dennis Moraes said, “When we go through the door of death, we become a part of god.” He hoped that such tragedy never occurs again.
Elected representatives of the region, including MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, expressed their sorrow over the incident and offered condolences to the families of victims.
On behalf of the citizens, Pradeep Kumar Kalkura, a member of the samiti, read out a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister and the Prime Minister. It stated, “We request that all formalities be carried out at one centre so as to avoid making the families of the deceased run from one office to another,” it said.
The memorandum said that a memorial be built for those who perished in the crash and compensation delivered to the doorstep of victims' families.
MLAs U.T. Khader, Abhaychandra Jain, N. Yogish Bhat, and MPOscar Fernandes, and MLC Ganesh Karnik were among those present.
