JOIN USAccident victim survives, thanks to one auto driver
Any further delay in transporting the youth who met with an accident on Friday to a hospital could have cost him his life.
The 18-year-old — who was ignored by people in dozens of passing cars — is not completely out of danger though even after a brain surgery, said doctors treating him at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital in west Delhi.
Police were unable to trace the autorickshaw driver who transported him to a private hospital in the area.
The driver had refused the fare offered to him by this reporter who too had happened to be at the accident spot.
“The hospital said the auto driver left immediately after handing over the victim to the emergency department,” a police officer probing the case said.
Motorists driving past the accident site, had ignored pleas by a small crowd around the injured man, then unidentified, to rush him to hospital.
One had even rolled up his car windows on being approached.
Victim Abhishek, a disk jockey with a local marriage band, was traced by police hours after the accident which took place in the Delhi Cantonment area late on Friday afternoon.
“Abhishek had failed to negotiate a sharp turn on the road. Medical tests revealed alcohol in his blood,” the officer said.
Deccan Herald on Saturday visited him at the emergency department of DDU Hospital, where he had been referred to by the private hospital late on Friday night.
A CT scan revealed severe injuries in his brain and his face bore deep wounds. He has a fractured leg and a wrist.
“He was taken to the hospital in the golden hour. He could have lost his life if there was any further delay. He is not totally out of danger yet though,” said Mohammad Saleem, a senior doctor treating him. The doctor was not surprised that people chose to ignore him.
“I have come across victims who lay injured on roads for as many as four hours before being shifted to hospitals. This is not uncommon,” he said.
Abhishek’s cousin Ravi said his family did not know about the indifferent behaviour of motorists till he visited the accident site on Friday.
“Some army personnel deployed close to the spot narrated how people rode away without helping him. They had witnessed the accident,” said Ravi.
He did not care to ask them why they did not come forward to assist his brother.
Abhishek’s father Roshan Lal wants to meet the auto driver who saved his son. But he knows he might never get a chance to thank him.
“I have transported accident victims to hospitals in the past. I did not know someone would help my son someday,” said Lal, a cab driver.