Rediff On The NeT: 'I knew this was the end'

"I knew this was the end. I just closed my eyes and sat down on the ground, waiting to die"

Jeetendra Bahadur Singh a guard at Standard Chartered Bank who was trapped inside the rubble for half an hour, talks about his ordeal.

"I was on the phone speaking to my manager Rajiv Ralhan. I was calling him from the main gate to inform him that the Tata Sumo had arrived to take the bag of share certificates.

"That is when I heard this huge massive sound from outside. It sounded like two vehicles had a very bad crash. I rushed outside and I realised the sound was coming from above me.

"The entire building was crashing down like a pack of cards.

"I was already outside. I realised that no one in the office could even hear anything. You see, our bank is in the basement, and the way we are placed, we don't know if it rains or the sun shines or the world outside comes to an end.

"I started to run inside to warn everyone, when I realised that I could be killed. But I continued running, telling myself, that if I run away now, I will have the blood of everyone on my conscience. By the time I even reached inside I saw the ceiling fall on the two guards in front of me. I could not even call out.

"The entire structure started to fall around me I was covered with debris which was falling all around me. I knew this was the end. I just closed my eyes and sat down on the ground, waiting to die.

"A piece of debris hit me on the chest and I lost consciousness. When I came to, I was lying in this bed in Poddar hospital. I was told that I had been trapped inside the debris for half an hour, and had been lying unconscious in the hospital for three hours.

Since I have regained consciousness I have been unable to go back to sleep. I should have died yesterday (Tuesday).

"The first dead body, I'm told, belonged to my friend and colleague, Satyakam Patkar. You see, I'm supposed to be at the vault which is inside the building. Since no air can be allowed near the vault the air conditioned air over there is very cold. I couldn't stand the cold, so I asked Satyakam to exchange places with me an hour before the accident.

"They discovered him because his hand was sticking out of the debris. He died on the way to the hospital. I feel like I have a stone on my heart. But then I think I had to live and he had to die. I just pray to god that they find the people trapped inside....alive."

As told to Suparn Verma

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