While two Indian Dawoodi Bohras on pilgrimage were Sunday evening killed in a blast targeting a bus near Baghdad, Iraq, their bereaved families in Maharashtra have not yet been officially intimated by either the central government or the Indian embassies in Syria and Iraq, relatives said
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The body of one of the two Dawoodi Bohras killed in the Sunday evening blast will be buried in Najaf, Iraq, and that of the other is likely to be brought back home, family members said.
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Both the families -- Kothawalas of Nagpur and Masanawalas of Pune -- said they have not received any official intimation from either the Indian government or the Indian embassies in Syria and Iraq about the tragedy.
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Insiya Zakir Kothawala of Nagpur will be laid to rest in Najaf, her uncle Sajid Kothawala said Tuesday.
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It is not yet clear whether the Masanawalas would bring the victim's body back to his home country or complete the last rites in Iraq.
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"My brother Zakir, his wife Arwa and two daughters Rukaiya (17) and Insiya (7) were travelling by bus from Syria to Najaf in Iraq when the tragedy struck near Baghdad. While Zakir sustained some injury on his left arm, his wife and elder daughter are unharmed, but little Insiya was killed," Sajid Kothawala told IANS here.
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The Kothawala family was among many others who were on a pilgrimage to the holy city of Karbala in Iraq when the blast hit their bus around 6.30 p.m. Sunday (May 27) near Baghdad.
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After completing Insiya's last rites, the family will continue the pilgrimage and return home June 7, Kothawala added.
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A Pune businessman, Abbas Masanawala, who was on the same bus with his family, was also killed in the blast, according to his family members.
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Fortunately, Masanawala's wife Saida, daughter Lubaina Jariwala (30) and son Burhanuddin escaped with minor injuries while son-in-law Yusuf Jariwala (30) was unhurt.
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While the Masanawalas live in Fatima Nagar and run a business in hardware, the Jariwalas live in Burhani Colony, both belonging to the Dawoodi Bohra community.
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The Kothawalas and Masanawalas had left India May 24 for the fortnight-long Karbala pilgrimage covering Syria, Iraq and Jordan, and are booked mainly through private tour operators.
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