Eighteen persons from Muzzafarnagar in Uttar Pradesh have been camping in Panipat for the last four days to find a missing relative from Pakistan. It could be a wild goose chase, as a TV channel and newspaper have already reported that Wakil was among those who crossed over to Pakistan. But his relatives are not taking any chances. They won’t give up until they find him or get conclusive evidence that he perished in the fire.

His daughter and a relative too arrived here from Pakistan last night. Rahila was put through the same gruelling exercise of looking at all the bodies, but with little success. But the family firmly believes Wakil is alive.

“How can he be dead, when he was seen on TV by one of our relatives. A newspaper published from Muzzafarnagar even included his name in the list of 11 persons who had crossed back safely after the blast. But where has he vanished now?” asks Maroof Ali, Wakil’s brother-in-law.

After their queries with mediapersons came to a naught, the relatives today made a written complaint to the district administration asking for an inquiry into the entire episode. The administration has now asked the channel to submit its footage to clear the matter.

“We are ready to accept that he is dead, but there must be some proof. Dil ko sukoon tau mile, agar kuch pata chale,” Rahila, who arrived from Hafizabad, pleads to the officers, before giving her DNA samples to be matched with the bodies.

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