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Saturday, Jul 15, 2006

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Blast victim reunited with his parents

This is all part of life, but we have to face them and move on, survivor tells Manmohan Singh

Mumbai: A young boy who lay unidentified in hospital with critical injuries sustained from Tuesday's train blasts was found by his parents on Friday.

Rakesh Amritlal Parihar, emerged briefly from unconsciousness and told doctors his first name but was unable to give them more information. His parents, who were not on the train, were alerted by media appeals and arrived at the hospital to claim him. Hospital authorities earlier believed his parents died in the blasts.

"The mother and father came and identified their child," hospital official Ashok Mehta said.

The boy was brought to the Bhagvati Hospital in Borivili in the aftermath of the bombings. Mr. Mehta said the boy could make a full recovery.

Survivors greet PM

As Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited Sion Hospital here on Friday, he was greeted by survivors of the serial blasts, among them schoolteacher Balkrishna Patkar, who fought back tears while speaking of the tragedy.

"I told the Prime Minister that this is all part of life, these difficulties come and go, but we have to face them and move on. There is no sense in blaming anyone, either the Government or the railways,'' Mr. Patkar, who suffered head injuries, said.

"I am privileged that my country's leader came to see me, rather than me going to see him. I am honoured," he said.

The primary school teacher from Thane district was on his way to a temple in Jogeshwari on the occasion of Guru Poornima when a bomb ripped through the compartment next to his at Mahim station, where one of the seven blasts occurred.

While Mr. Patkar was happy that Dr. Singh gave each victim a patient hearing, he had a grouse with politicians visiting the hospital. "They enter the wards with shoes on, and so do their associates."

Speaking of his experiences that day, he said: "There were no anaesthetics available and I needed stitches on my head. I told the doctor to make the sutures without anaesthetics. It was a matter of minutes and there was no point in waiting." — PTI, Agencies

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