A devastating fire claimed the lives of 10-year-old child actor Veer Sharma and his 15-year-old elder brother, Shaurya Sharma, in Kota's Anantpura, Rajasthan. The siblings, who were asleep when smoke engulfed their flat late Saturday night, could not escape in time. Their sudden deaths have left the Sharma family and community in shock.
What's Happening
- The tragedy has shattered Veer and Shaurya's parents. Their mother, actress Rita Sharma, broke down while speaking to CNN-News18 Showsha. "Abhi to bas baithe hue hai hum sab. Kuch samajh nahin aa raha hain kya kare. Bas lagta hai dono abhi daudte hue aa jayenge... par ghar bilkul suna ho gaya hai (Right now we are just sitting here. We don't know what to do. It feels like both of them will come running back any moment... but the house has become completely empty)."
- Recounting the horrific night, father Jitendra Sharma, a teacher at a Kota coaching institute, said, "Day before yesterday at night, there was an electrical short circuit in our house due to which a lot of fume was generated in the house. My kids were both sleeping in the house. I was nearby only at a jagrata function. Someone told me there's smoke coming from my house so I rushed back. I broke opened the door and went inside. It was a pathetic situation. There was smoke everywhere, I couldn't even see anything so I hurriedly opened the windows."
- He added with anguish, "Then I rushed both my sons to the hospital lekin dono baccho ki dum ghutne se maut ho gayi (but both of my children died due to suffocation). One of them was still conscious while we were heading to the hospital, but he had inhaled a lot of carbon monoxide. Doctors kuch kar nahin paye (the doctors couldn't do anything). Humare dono bachche marr gaye (both our children died). Ek pal ke liye laga main bacha loonga, par bas dekhte hi reh gaya (for a moment I felt I would save them, but I was left watching helplessly)."
- Fighting tears, he shared that the boys' last rites were performed a day later. "Kal hi unki antim kriya hui. Zindagi bhar ki roshni chali gayi (Their final rites were performed yesterday. The light of our lives has gone forever)."
Background
Initial investigations suggest the fire began in the drawing room of the family's fourth-floor flat due to a short circuit. While the blaze did not spread widely, heavy smoke quickly filled the house, leaving Veer and Shaurya trapped. Neighbours noticed smoke and rushed to help, forcing open the door and attempting to rescue the boys. Both were taken to a nearby hospital but were declared dead on arrival.
At the time of the fire, Jitendra Sharma was away at a bhajan programme, while Rita Sharma was in Mumbai.
Veer had earned fame playing young Lakshman in the TV show Veer Hanuman and was set to portray the younger version of Saif Ali Khan in an upcoming film. His brother Shaurya, just 15, had been preparing for the IIT entrance examination.