Bengaluru: In a blink of an eye, the world took 15 year old Bharath’s mother away from him, along with his spirit and his very will to live.

The boy, shattered, expressionless, looking utterly bereft was absolutely dry-eyed, as he stood, head hanging, in Victoria Hospital on Monday morning, until his mother’s body was wheeled out of the morgue.

Bhavani Devi (38) was the lone victim of the low intensity blast that took place on Church Street on Sunday night. Bharath's younger sister, 11-year-old Lakshmi was inconsolable, seeking solace in the arms of relatives and friends who surrounded her. The family was supposed to head back home to Chennai on Sunday, but fate had other plans.

Bhavani had left her brother-in-law Mahendra’s house at Mavalli near Lal Bagh around 6 pm along with her two children and five other family members.

The other members of the family have been identified as Mahendra’s daughter Priya (22), her husband Kasturi (31), Karthik (22), Mahendra’s son and a final year MBA student Niveditha (15) and Rachita.

The family had parked their Omni van, driven by Karthik, near Empire Hotel and went to Amoeba Bowling Alley. Bhavani was heading towards Hotel Empire with Karthik, while the children and other family members were coming behind when the low intensity explosive went off around 8.30 pm, leaving Bhavani fatally wounded. Karthik was injured in the back.

Shrapnel from the explosive hit Bhavani in the head and neck, causing a severe loss of blood. She was rushed in an autorickshaw by her family members and passersby to Mallya Hospital, where she succumbed around 10.50 pm.

Bhavani’s husband Balan Kumar (46) told Deccan Chronicle that his last conversation with his wife Bhavani was just 30 minutes before the blast.

“I received a call from Bhavani around 8 pm while she was heading towards Amoeba with children. As soon as I picked up the call, the first thing she asked was did you eat anything? Or you still roaming around on an empty stomach?”

He said, “I had come to Bengaluru to drop Bhavani and my two children on Wednesday and left for Chennai the next day as they wanted to spend Christmas here. On Thursday, they had gone to Mysuru to see the palace.”

Bhavani’s death came as a severe blow to her family and relatives. Mahendra, Bhavani’s brother-in-law, is finding it difficult to come to terms with the loss.

“As she was leaving for Church Street, Bhavani told me that she would come back soon. She didn’t come back, but news came around 9.15 pm that Bhavani was critically injured and was rushed to Mallya Hospital,” he said.

Soon after the news of broke out, relatives started visiting the grieving family. Scores of relatives were seen at Victoria Hospital on Monday waiting for her body. Bhavani was a resident of Mount Road in Chennai.

Her husband is a businessman. Her son Bharath is studying in grade 10, while Laxmi is a grade 6 student. Both of them study in DAV Public School.