Victim leaves behind his wife and a son.
By Dileep Thekkethil
Residents of Jyothi Mangala Nagar of Sithalapakkam in Chennai were in grief as the mortal remains of Raghavendran Ganeshan, the Infosys techie who died in the metro train bombing in Brussels, was brought home on Wednesday.
The body of Raghavendran was brought to his aunt’s house at around 3:30 pm and was kept there for 40 minutes before the black wooden box containing the mortal remains was taken for cremation.
The body of Raghavendran was accompanied by his parents and brother Chandrasekaran from Brussels via Amsterdam and Dubai.
According to sources, the body was beyond recognition and the authorities had to do a DNA test after Raghavendran’s brother identified a bracelet and a ring that he wore.
The Times of India reported that Raghavenran’s wife Vaishali was beyond consolable as she cried saying, “What should I tell my son when he asks me who killed his father? Do I describe him as a victim or a hero?”
Sources confirm that Raghavendran was traveling in the same bogie that was used by the terrorist and he was so close to the terrorist that the lower part of the body is missing.
Raghavendran visited his wife and parents last month for the naming of his new-born and promised that he will return soon to take his wife and son with him, but unfortunately, what returned was his lifeless body.
Just an hour before the attack, Raghavendran had a skype chat with his mother who now says she should have continued talking to him for another 30 minutes.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi before leaving for Belgium for India-EU summit expressed his condolences to the family. “A young life, full of hope and promise cut short by mindless violence. Condolences to the family of Raghavendran,” Prime Minister Modi tweeted.
Infosys in a condolence message said, “Our thoughts and prayers are with Raghavendran’s family and with those who were injured or lost a loved one in these attacks.”
N R Narayana Murthy, founder, Infosys Ltd, said, “Today, I learnt of the heartbreaking reality of Raghavendra’s demise in Brussels. Raghavendra, a young Indian, a father, a husband, a son, a brother, and an Infoscion was a victim of senseless violence. Nobody anywhere in the world deserves to be cut down with such violence. I join many others in mourning his loss and pray for his child, wife, brother and parents during this extremely difficult time.”
The bombing that took place in the Belgian capital left at least 35 people dead and over 300 people wounded. Human bombs exploded on March 22nd morning at the Brussels airport and at the Maelbeek metro station.