'Qasab wrong if he thinks this is Jihad'

Arabic teacher hurt in taxi blast on Nov 26 blames terrorists for maiming her and crippling family into debt running in lakhs

A year after 26/11, Sabira Khan (38), a tutor of Arabic, has run up Rs 6 lakh in bills to treat her left leg, which she lost partially to a bomb placed in a taxi near Dockyard Road on November 26.
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In the last 12 months, the blast, which also left Sabira's eldest son Hamid (23) injured, though not as seriously, has wiped off the savings of the family that lives in the Bombay Port Trust colony in Dockyard Road.
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Today, Sabira, whose husband had to take a loan of Rs 3 lakh to pay for her treatment, needs a walker to support herself.

On 26/11

That day, Sabira, had been waiting to cross a road on her way home, when the blast ripped through a parked taxi, and threw her a few feet away.

"For over two months, I suffered at J J Hospital because they kept postponing my operation. When finally I was operated upon, I contracted jaundice from the blood transfusion," said Sabira.



"While I tried one hospital after another in the next 10 months, my leg refused to heal. The medical bills did keep mounting.

We have spent Rs 6 lakh on my treatment so far. Rs 3 lakh of this is loans. How on earth are be going to pay our bills?

Now, J J Hospital's reports tell us that I stand only a 20 per cent chance of recovering completely," Sabira added.
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'Be a good Muslim'

Sabira's elder daughter Saba (13) has stopped going to school to take care of the house. "I wanted to study and be a journalist, but I think I won't be able to anything about it I'll just have to dream about it," said Saba.

Sabira says she always taught her children to believe in what is good. "Being a Muslim myself, I know that Qasab is wrong if he thinks this is jihad. He is the reason why I am a cripple today," she said.

Rs 6 lakh
What Sabira Khan's family has spent on medical bills in the last one year

Rs 3 lakh
Debt incurred by Sabira's family to pay for her medical bills in the last 12 monthsu00a0u00a0