Life has changed for many in City

Deccan Herald caught up with three young men who were injured in the explosions. They shared their harrowing experience and how their life changed after the tragedy.

Two unlucky friends, Ravindran and Ramesh Raghu, were on their way home after visiting a property show at Sree Kanteerava Stadium. Ravindran’s memory of that day was still fresh; “I can’t forget July 25, 2008. I was riding pillion and Ramesh was riding the two-wheeler. Actually, Ramesh wanted to go via Richmond Circle but I advised him to get into SR Nagar, taking a right turn near Raja Ram Mohan Roy Circle. Around 1 20 pm, while negotiating a turn, we heard a loud noise and immediately, I saw blood oozing out of my head and felt myself drenched in it.”

He was more worried as he was carrying property documents. “Believe me, I latched on to the bag and with some traffic cops’ help, managed to reach Mallya Hospital.” For Ravindran, an Mphasis employee, that incident has changed his life.

“Earlier, I never used to view news channels, but now I am glued to the TV with an urge to know things, especially about terror and terrorist activities. I have become more soft and approachable.”

Meanwhile, Ramesh, who works in the tech support department of an MNC, thanks his stars for being alive to recollect the turn of events on that fateful day. “I don’t know where to start. I get goosebumps each time I pass through the RRM Roy circle. My jacket, to some extent saved me and I was discharged from the hospital within 48 hours,” he recalled.

Initially, they had thought it was a transformer that burst. “But later we came to know about the bomb at the hospital. We were taken aback as few doctors and nurses informed about the serial blasts in the City.

Chetan, a BBM student of Venkateshwara College, was at the Madiwala bus stop and witnessed a woman dying yards away from the blast site. “I walked into the bus stop and within minutes heard a loud noise. Everyone ran helter-skelter and I also followed suit. While we were rushing, I saw a woman lying on the ground but came to know she was dead only after we returned. In fear, I didn’t notice I was bleeding.” It was only when someone pointed out that he realised what had happened. Immediately, the police shifted him to St John’s hospital. “It was so shocking that I lost the courage to go near bus stops.”