Tezpur, Aug. 26: At another time, the Kebinet Deuri household at Major Chapori village in Lakhimpur district would have erupted in joy at the addition of a new member to the family.

But the joy at the birth of their (Kebinet and Sewali Deuri’s) second child, a daughter, this afternoon was tempered by the grief at the house of his elder brother Jyotish Chandra, who has been in Mumbai since August 15 waiting to hear about his son Naruttam, who was among the 18 sailors on board the submarine Sindhurakshak when it went down at the naval dockyard on the night of August 13.

Kebinet, who was with his brother in Mumbai, rushed back home last night to be with his wife Sewali.

The child, weighing 3.5kg, was born at 3.45pm at Dhalpur civil hospital. The couple have a four year-old son.

“It has been a harrowing few days for all of us since we heard about the accident. God gave us something to smile about today,” Kebinet told The Telegraph from the hospital soon after the child was born.

“The houses of our five brothers, sister and mother are together and there would have been so much joy today,” he said.

Kebinet said the navy had informed them that the DNA reports would come in within the next few days. The authorities have taken blood samples of family members of the 18 sailors for the DNA matching.

He said villagers regularly visit Jyotish Chandra’s house to hold prayers.

Another sailor, Timothy Sinha, from Cachar district was also aboard the submarine when the accident occurred. His parents too are in Mumbai waiting for the DNA report.