Delhi 10/11 Victims Update: Bus Conductor Among Red Fort Blast Victims, Sole Provider for Family

Ashok Kumar, a 42-year-old Delhi Transport Corporation conductor from Uttar Pradesh’s Amroha district, was the sole breadwinner for his family of eight when he lost his life in the terror blast near Red Fort on Monday evening. He supported his wife, four young children—three daughters and a son—along with his ailing elder brother Subhash and mother Somwati, who live in their native village. Working day shifts on cluster buses through Old Delhi and night security duties, Ashok’s relentless routine ended tragically just 15 km from his Jagatpur home when a Haryana-registered Hyundai i20 exploded at a traffic signal at 6:52 PM.

His cousin Pappu, speaking outside LNJP Hospital, described the moment he saw Ashok’s name on the victim list: “I froze in shock—it was my own blood.” He confirmed Ashok had left home around 6 PM and his motorcycle is still missing from the blast site. The family is now grappling with not only his death but the sudden loss of their only financial pillar, leaving the children’s education and Subhash’s medical care in jeopardy as the village mourns one of its most dutiful sons.

In a devastating twist, Ashok was en route to Chandni Chowk Metro Station to pick up his relative, Lokesh Kumar Gupta, who had just left Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. An elderly family member recounted: “We parted ways that evening—Lokesh took the metro, and Ashok was supposed to meet him there and bring him home safely.” While Ashok’s body was recovered from the charred scene, Lokesh remains missing, with frantic relatives combing hospitals and police records for any sign of the 30-year-old who vanished in the chaos.

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Another victim, 34-year-old pharmaceutical businessman Amar Kataria from Sriniwaspuri, had just closed his shop in Bhagirath Palace—6 km from the blast—when the explosion tore through the crowded junction. His father was seen wailing outside LNJP Hospital, clutching a photo of his son, a rising entrepreneur with dreams of expanding his business. The blast, which killed nine and injured 20, damaged multiple vehicles and left mangled remains scattered across the historic area near Gate No. 1 of Red Fort Metro Station.

As Delhi Police invoke UAPA sections 16 and 18 and link the attack to a “white collar” terror module busted in Faridabad with 2,900 kg of explosives, the human tragedy deepens. Home Minister Amit Shah has vowed a thorough probe, but for families like Ashok’s, no investigation can restore a father, son, or brother. With the city on high alert and forensic teams analyzing residue, the blast serves as a grim reminder that ordinary citizens—going about routine acts of care—are now collateral in a war against unseen enemies.

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