Shock, sorrow and disbelief in London

Hundreds of people would be usually out on a warm Friday evening on Ealing Road.

- James Tapper & Rachael Healy

This half-mile stretch of Wembley suburbia, the heart of London’s Gujarati community, is perfumed with rose petal and betel leaf from the paan shops, wafts of sandalwood incense from sari sellers and spices from the chai wallahs.

But only a few were around last week to chat and chew paan or pick up a syrupy jalebi from one of the sweet shops, as the aftermath of the Air India disaster in Ahmedabad rippled through the local communities.

“Every evening after work people play music outside, having a good time, talking to each other,” says Druba Lal, serving sweets and samosas at a branch of Ambala. “But that day no one was here - and even today there are less.”

His colleague Prathan Kartilal interrupts. “I know one of the guys [who died]. He used to come in for habshi halwa [a cashew and pistachio fudge], during festivals, Diwali.” He shakes his head.