Victim’s body brought home

Relatives and friends have gathered at the blast victim's house for the last rites.

The bomb blast victim, Bhavani Devi's body being taken to Chennai from Victoria Hospital, Bengaluru after the post mortem on Monday. Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy.

A pall of gloom descended on Boobegam Street in Triplicane, when an ambulance carrying the mortal remains of B. Bhavani Devi, who died in a bomb blast in Bangalore on Sunday night, arrived here around 10.15 p.m. on Monday. The Karnataka police escorted the ambulance. The victim’s husband, Balan, and their two children accompanied the body. Relatives of the victim gathered in large number at the house.

>'Bhavani was a quiet and affable person'

Suresh Kumar, Bhavani’s nephew, who spoke to her on phone minutes before the blast, recalled his aunt saying their tickets were not confirmed for the second consecutive day and the family decided to stay one more day in Bengaluru. Bhavani and her two children reached the Garden City on Wednesday along with Balan. They stayed at his brother Mahendran’s residence and the former returned to Chennai the next day.

“Eight of them, including Bhavani, her son Bharat Narayanan, daughter Lakshmi and members of Mahendran’s family, went to the restaurant for dinner. While returning, the bomb blast occurred. Bhavani and her children were scheduled to return to Chennai with Mahendran’s son Karthik. Balan would never let his wife and children travel alone,” Ramalingam, a relative of the victim, told the The Hindu.

For the last 15 years, Balan owns and operates a tyre retreading shop on Began Sahib 3rd Street in Border Thottam, two streets away from his new residence.

>‘Initially, we mistook it as cylinder blast’

Bhavani and family resided in their first floor home which they had rented eight months ago after their own house on the adjoining street was found inadequate for their growing children.

“On Sunday afternoon, I heard him talking to his wife in Bengaluru and enquire about the kids’ short trip to Mysuru. He was also telling her on some things to buy for home from there. This is really sad to know she’s killed in such a way,” lamented Prabhu who runs a shop next to Balan’s.

Neighbours also recalled Balan informing them on Sunday night that Bhavani was injured in an accident and he was rushing to Bengaluru.

“He told us to watch TV and hastily left. We were shocked to know that his wife was the victim in the blast from the late night TV news,” added Balan’s landlord.