Arun

ARUN [30] at the time of the disaster house lived in no 19/1, Shri Ram Mandir, Chhola Road. He was the youngest of five children. He has two sisters Kamla and Mithila, both married before disaster and two brothers Bhim and Arjun.

His father Gayadeen was on duty at the railway cabin on 3rd December 1984. He was exposed badly. The family left their house and joined the blindly running crowds. In the panic they got separated. Arun, Bhim and Arjun's two children ran one way. Mom and Kamla and Kamla's daughter ran another way. Mom was brought home in the morning by some people. Bhim and a friend took her to Hamidia Hospital and brought her dead body back at 8.30 am of the 3rd.

Mom's sister took father and everyone else to her house in Harda district, some distance from Bhopal, to recover. Twenty-one days after the disaster (on Christmas Eve 1984) father Gayadeen said he had to go to Bhopal to get his salary. He was all ready to leave for the station ehen he vomited and died.

Two hundred thousand rupees compensation was split five ways. Arjun left the family after the death of Gayadeen. Bhim did odd jobs and took care of Arun. They had many hungry days. Arun has now passed his 8th grade and is a driver. He works for a private company that
pays meagrely. He would like a regular job as a driver.