A paramilitary soldier keeps a watch on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway. (PTI Photo)
Of the seven Dahanu pilgrims injured in the Monday terror attack during the Amarnath Yatra, four remain admitted in different hospitals of Surat, Srinagar and Mumbai. On Wednesday, 50-year-old Chaya Maher was shifted to state-run J J Hospital in Mumbai to undergo a procedure to remove scraps of bullet that had grazed past her hand.
“She remains in shock and we have stopped talking about the attack with her,” said son Nilesh Maher. Chaya was sitting with her relative Usha Sonkar in the bus that came under attack in Anantnag district near Srinagar Monday night. The firing left seven pilgrims dead. Sonkar had died on the spot after a bullet hit her on the head while Chaya suffered a fracture in right hand. Another pilgrim from Dahanu, Nirmala Thakur, also succumbed to a bullet injury in the head.
Chaya was brought from Srinagar to Dahanu, her hometown, Tuesday when her family first took her to a government hospital and later to a private hospital for treatment. “She remained in Sheetal Hospital last night. We took her to Dahanu Cottage hospital today but doctors asked us to take her to a tertiary hospital as they didn’t have the required facility,” said Maher.
According to Dahanu doctors, when the bullet scraped past her hand, it left metal residue, which now needs to be surgically removed.
Another Dahanu survivor, Pushpa Goswami, 49, continues to remain admitted in Srinagar’s SKIMS hospital where she is slated to undergo a back surgery. “The doctors said her condition was not good to come home. I have been asked to wait until the surgery is over,” said Divesh Goswami, her husband. She was organising the trip for 15 pilgrims from Dahanu who were part of the 54-member group from Gujarat and Maharashtra.
On Wednesday, Pushpa underwent a series of tests to analyse her medical condition. According to her family, a bullet was surgically removed from her right peripheral region Tuesday, but its remnant scraps remain lodged in her body and she would require a second surgery.
“Of the seven injured, four are currently hospitalised. Two remain admitted in Surat hospital,” said Palghar District Collector Prashant Narnaware. A few of the survivors who were discharged complained of poor medical facilities in Palghar’s government hospitals.
Bhagyamani Thakur, who suffered injuries on her hand, back and left leg due to broken glass shards, went to Dahanu Cottage sub-district hospital immediately after she reached from Srinagar Tuesday evening. “There was no one to attend me for 20 minutes. Then a doctor came and said there is no X-ray facility,” said the 50-year-old. Her family then took her to a private hospital where they were asked to come later.
“The patient had minor injuries and was given treatment on out-patient department basis,” said Narnaware, adding that instructions had been given to all local hospitals to treat the injured pilgrims on priority basis.
Prakash Vajani, who suffered a head injury when bullet shots shattered glass windows of their bus, made a lucky escape with his entire family. His younger brother Pramod Vajani also suffered head injury when glass broke on his head during firing. “We are trying to resume our normal routine from today. We just feel blessed that we are alive, and want to move on,” said Vajani.
