G R Shyamkumar (42), is a former national champion and National Games champion in long jump and holds the National Games record. He won the gold twice in 1987 and 1991 in the South Asian Federation (SAF) Games.
Shyamkumar, an Area Manager with the Food Corporation of India (FCI), Mysore, is now not in a position to speak, nor can he attend to himself. He has been rendered almost immobile and totally dependent. Screws and plates are fitted all over his face. His wife Jasintha, a physiotherapist with the Sports Authority of India (SAI), Bangalore, is taking care of him.
Recovery
Dr Ramesh Ranganath, a Neuro Surgeon at the Apollo BGS Hospital along with Dr Sahithkumar Shetty, a maxillo facial Surgeon, performed an eight hour long surgery for reconstruction and plating of all the fractures. Shyamkumar will completely recover in another two months, Dr Ranganath said.
Attacked
Jasintha explained that Shyamkumar took an auto from the Ramaswamy Circle, near his office, on February 29 at around 10 pm and got off in front of his house, in Saraswathipuram 15th main.
He had an altercation with the auto driver over the fare. All that he remembers was the heavy blow the auto driver dealt with his right hand on his face rendering him unconscious.
He regained consciousness after quite sometime and started walking unsteadily. A woman in the neighbourhood saw him and sent her two sons to assist him.
A message was sent to the Garuda Police. He was taken to the KR Hospital, where the doctors declined to treat him.
He was then taken to the Apollo BGS Hospital, where he was in the ICU for four days, before being discharged on March 11, Jasintha explained.
The doctor suspected that he was hit with a blunt weapon or attacked with a brick, the broken pieces of which were found near the site of the incident.  
Saraswathipuram Police Station has registered a case and Inspector M T Ali is investigating. He said they have already quizzed some auto drivers operating at the Ramaswamy Circle and at the Pre-Paid Auto Stand.
It is a matter of just two days before they crack the case once Shyamkumar is able to speak to them, he exuded confidence.