Sabina Siakia the journalist food critic found dead in Taj Heritage

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Sabina Saikia cremated
Spl correspondent
 NEW DELHI, Nov 30 – Amidst heart-rending scenes, journalist, columnist and food critic Sabina Sehgal Saikia was cremated in presence of her relatives, friends and colleagues, at Lodi Crematorium here this morning. Her body had arrived in the city last night at around 11.30 pm from Mumbai, accompanied by her brother Nikhil, who had stayed back to complete the official formalities. Her body was kept at their Defence Colony House over-night before it was brought for cremation at 11 am. It was consigned to flames in the electric crematorium, as family and friends bid a tearful final adieu.

Chief Minister of Delhi, Sheila Dikshit, several eminent personalities, including MPs, top police officials and hundreds of friends and colleagues joined the family in mourning Sabina’s untimely death.

Uruli, a women’s body had in fact organised a lecture by Sabina on December 6, when she was to present two new recipes for the benefit of the members. Office-bearers of Assam Association, Delhi was present in full strength. Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, his wife Subhalakshi Baruah, designer Rohit Bal among others, were present at the cremation ground.

Her husband, Santanu Saikia, daughter Anurndhati and son Aniruddha and close family members tried to maintain their composure as several friends and colleagues burst into tears on seeing Sabina’s body. A prayer meeting is being organised next week to mourn her death.

Her brother said Sabina’s body bore injury only at the back of her head. Post mortem also ruled out the possibility of Sabina dying of suffocation or bullet injury. The cause of death was said to be the head injury, supposedly from a sharp object. Her death was instantaneous, Nikhil told newsmen.

Sabina’s body was recovered from her room, which was intact. She was staying in a suite, which was next to the general manager’s suite. Though the connecting sitting area and the dinning area of the suite were completely gutted, her room, including her belongings were undisturbed, her brother, who was among the first to rush inside the hotel yesterday, said.

It was Sabina’s corner suite on the fifth floor of the Taj Heritage that was the cause of some confusion. On day two of the attack, on a personal request of the family, a unit of the National Security Guard (NSG) while combing the floor broke open the door of the suite but on seeing the sitting and dinning area, came back fearing the worst.

Sabina was to stay at the wedding till 12.30 am but she came back to the hotel at around 9.30 pm as she was tired. The attack took place at 10.30 pm.