New Delhi: Nearly three months after four members of her family were killed in a fire in southeast Delhi’s Tughlaqabad Extension, Mani Kumari, the lone survivor, is struggling to rebuild her life.The teenager, who suffered burn injuries in the June 12 arson at the building where her family lived, remained hospitalised for nearly one and a half months before being discharged. She now lives with her maternal uncle, Bam Bam Jha, and his family in Badarpur.“She was completely broken and constantly remembers her mother, brother and maternal grandmother. It has been very difficult to console her,” Jha told TOI.Two years ago, Pankaj Kumar Pandey (28) had purchased the second-floor flat in Tughlaqabad Extension where he lived with his grandmother, Sushila Devi (70), and his sisters Soni (20) and Mani (18). Before this, the family used to live in Pul Prahladpur.Soni, the elder of the two sisters, was a graduate and worked at a boutique, while Mani, the younger, had recently completed Class X. Their lives changed abruptly when a fire engulfed the building where they resided.Later suspecting it to be a case of arson, police arrested three people and apprehended a juvenile in connection with the incident. Investigators said one of the suspects had a monetary dispute with a resident, Deepak, and allegedly roped in a minor to set fire to his parked motorcycle. The fire, however, quickly spread through the building, killing four people who were not involved in the dispute.The tragedy brought Mani’s education to a halt. Jha said the family does not have the financial means to support her studies or meet the expenses arising from her continuing medical treatment.“Everything has been destroyed. I don’t know where the money for her education will come from. At the time of the incident, several people and leaders came forward and offered help, but after that, no one returned. I have a private job and cannot afford to support her education on my own,” he said.Mani continues to require medical attention and visits the hospital for follow-up treatment, Jha said. The family has also undertaken some repair work at the flat, but is reluctant to move her back there. Jha said the house has become a painful reminder of the tragedy and the family members they lost. “How can we live where our family members were killed?” he asked.
