27 August,2009 07:11 AM IST | | Vaidehi Limaye
Neelam Shaikh is glad she had moved her aged parents out of Yusuf Manzil
Neelam Shaikh is glad that three months back, she moved her aged parents out of Yusuf Manzil, which collapsed on Tuesday. Loss: Neelam Shaikh's parents lost stuff worth Rs 1.5 lakh in the building collapse
"That was the best decision of my life. Both my parents are over 70 years old," said Neelam.
After the owners of Janta Electronic Store brought down the staircase, Neelam's parents used the neighbouring building's stairs to go to their third floor home. A passage on the third floor connected the two buildings.
Rs 1.5-lakh loss
"My parents have been living with me for Ramzan. On Tuesday, we were browsing TV channels when I suddenly saw clips of Yusuf Manzil turned into rubble.
Though my parents moved out of the building, our furniture and other belongings were still there.
Zubeida Khambatti, Yusuf Manzil's landlady who died after the collapse, was our relative," said Neelam, who stays in Nashik, but came to Mumbai with her brother on hearing about the collapse.
Neelam's parents lost belongings worth Rs 1.5 lakh in the collapse. "I am scared to think what would have happened if my mum and dad were still living in that building," she said.
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Neelam now wants authorities to compensate her for her losses. "We don't know whom to approach for compensation, as the landlady has died. For poor people like us, Rs 1.5 lakh isn't a small amount," said Neelam.
The D B Marg police are looking for the shop's owners, Yusuf and Irfan Memon, who are absconding.
Investigating officer P I Surunkar said, "So far we have traced their mobile numbers and expect to nab them in two days."
