Iqbal Singh ‘Shant’ often looks at his hands before he turns his gaze upwards and thanks the Almighty. The fingers are curled, the skin marked forever, and the palms carry the memory of fire. They cannot grip like normal hands, yet they allow him to type in three languages, drive a car, ride a two-wheeler and work as a journalist.

For Iqbal, his hands and the burns on his back and neck are proof that fate had other things in store for him on a day when hundreds did not return home.

Nearly 30 years after the Dabwali fire tragedy of December 23, 1995 — one of the deadliest fire disasters in India — Iqbal’s scars are a daily reminder of the events of the day. When he meets someone who has lost both hands, he becomes emotional, because he feels he was luckier than many others who perished in

See Full Page