A Tribute to Javed

Photo credit: The Telegraph

I teach 18 year olds and I find them pretty self obsessed in normal cirmumstances. I do not know how they will react to such an extraorinary situation as the Meerut fire, for all I know my mall hopping students may do as Javed did. Javed was built of a finer stuff, and it takes special parents to bring up a child like this. When the fire started burning, this kid who had just given standard 12th exams had safely got out. But he went in again to help small children huddled in a corner in the burning fire. (Read about another courageous girl, Pooja, fighting for her life).


I have two nephews almost his age who live with us, and to an extent I can understand what must be going through his parents mind. Even to imagine that one of my nephews might be caught in such a situation shuts down my brains (whatever little I have of it).

What makes my blood boil is the charges of negligence in handeling the case of Javed. The Telegraph : reports:

Javed Ahmad, the teenager who had escaped the Meerut fire but jumped back into it to save six children, died in a Delhi hospital this morning amid cries of negligence.

Javed, 18, a resident of Mandawli in East Delhi, was working at a clothes stall at the Brand India fair on Monday when the fire broke out. He got out unhurt, but went back in when he saw the children trapped. He collapsed after his sixth attempt, and suffered 70 per cent burns.

I wonder how many people will have the guts to teach their kids to help others in such extreme situations when later you could die through negligence. It takes extremely special parents and an extremely special child to be like the Javed family.

What other bloggers say:

Oz writes about the two stories that broke at the same time. And the way media is covering them.

Amrit says life is just too cheap here?

Rockin_bass wants those responsible for Meerut fire behind the bars.

Sudhanshu pays tribute to a real hero.

Nachgaana gives an account.

Indiablogwatch adds.

Puja has a lot of questions.

Hari from Bangalore adds.

Anurag talks about many things along with Meerut fire.

Sanatana quotes NYT story.

How many more tragedies we need? asks Neelima.

Anthony links to a news story.

Uma has many MSM links along with other stories.

Prabir writes.

Edit India is not happy with the journalists.

Doubtinggaurav says 50 people dead in India is not big news.

Stoker links to Deccan Herald.

Northern Plains Fire links to The Hindu.

A Little More of Life says we refuse to learn from past mistakes.

Carpe Diem has some questions.

Animesh pays tribute to Javed.

Are we all inhumans? Asks Rediscovering India.

Arigon on Meerut fire.

Aarjoo writes.

Aparna links to NDTV News.

How do you feel when you are dying? Perennially Bullish does not like the question.

The Wanderer on the Meerut Fire.

Jayeeta remembers Uphaar frire too along with Meerut.

Raju links to a news story and salutes Javed.

Prabhu says, stop it.

If I have missed your blog and you want to add it here, please leave the link in the comments.