The piercing reminder of a monthly EMI due date on his phone is now a source of dread for Sakir Khan. On December 5, an instalment of Rs 21,730 for his car loan is scheduled to be deducted. Earlier this year, in January, the Khan family from Jaffarpur village in Sohna had celebrated the arrival of a brand-new Maruti Ertiga, registered as a cab, hoping it would pave the path to financial stability. Today, as the year ends, that dream lies incinerated in a junkyard at Maurice Nagar Police Station, a charred remnant of the November 10 blast near Red Fort that killed 15 and injured 28.
A Fight for Survival Beyond the Hospital
For Sakir, who was recently discharged from hospital after a battle for his life, the physical recovery is just one part of an immense struggle. The financial devastation is proving far more crippling. The compensation announced by the Delhi government is nowhere to be seen, and even the basic step of accessing the scrap of his vehicle to initiate an insurance claim has turned into a prolonged ordeal. After weeks of futile visits to police stations and offices of sub-divisional magistrates, Sakir and several other survivors have now been forced to hire lawyers, spending precious borrowed money, just to get what was promised.
"The blast changed my life forever. For three weeks, I have not been able to earn anything. I have EMIs to pay, my children's school fees are pending and I need money for my parents' treatment," said Sakir, who borrowed Rs 6,000 to engage legal help. His story is not unique. Other cab drivers affected by the explosion are also approaching lawyers solely to jumpstart the stalled insurance process.
Mounting Debts and a Maze of Bureaucracy
Shanawaz Khan, another survivor, suffered severe injuries that still hamper his movement. His cab was also destroyed. With no government relief or insurance clearance, his family is being buried under a mountain of daily expenses. "I don't know how to feed my family. My cab is gone. We are running from pillar to post but no one is helping us out. Compensation feels like a distant dream," he lamented, detailing visits to the SDM's office and three police stations that yielded no results.
For these drivers, the blast has inflicted deeper financial wounds than physical ones. With EMIs piling up, savings exhausted, and no clarity from authorities, their plight is desperate. Joginder Kumar, 39, from Nand Nagari, bought a new Swift Dzire in July to support his family of five. His EMI of Rs 19,000 is due on December 10. Tragically, the day after his last instalment was paid, his car was wrecked in the explosion. Standing just 10 meters away, he sustained burns and injuries to his head, face, shoulders, and arms.
"I went from one thana to another to find my cab. I couldn't. I don't know how to initiate the insurance claim. I have lost hope about the compensation, too," Joginder said. He explained that insurance companies require a copy of the FIR and a video of the damaged car, but police officials keep redirecting him. "Officers claiming to be from NIA took details of my Aadhaar card and bank account on November 16, but nothing has moved since," he added.
Official Stand: A Wait for NIA Clearance
The frustration is widespread, with many survivors standing in long queues, repeating the same queries, and facing confusion over whether their submitted documents are being processed. Lawyer Rakesh Kumar from Tis Hazari, who represents multiple blast survivors, stated his first objective is to get court permission to access the vehicles. "Our first objective is to get the scrap released so that we can initiate insurance claims. Without that, these families can't take the first step to recover financially," he asserted.
Delhi government officials, on condition of anonymity, claim the delay is not from their end. They say all paperwork for compensation disbursal is complete. "We have processed everything at our end and have been following up with other agencies. But until the National Investigation Agency (NIA) confirms that the survivors are not linked to the blast accused, compensation cannot be released," an official explained.
This explanation offers little solace to the victims. Many reported that even photographing their damaged vehicles for insurance was initially impossible as access to the Maurice Nagar Police Station complex was restricted. While Delhi Police later stated they addressed the issue and allowed photos, the core problem remains. For survivors like 21-year-old Sameer Khan, who lost his family's autorickshaw and sustained severe burns, the wait is interminable. "My brother has rented a rickshaw so that we can survive. All our details were taken at the hospital when the compensation was announced. But the officials aren't telling us anything," he said. Their journey for justice and recovery has only just begun.
