21 April,2015 07:19 AM IST | | Sadaguru Pandit
26-year-old Jamna Pawar was sitting next to one of the pillars of Amar Mahal junction flyover in Mumbai, when the driver lost control over the vehicle and drove into her
Despite being knocked down and dragged by a garbage truck, allegedly driven by a drunk driver, 26-year-old Jamna Pawar has lived to tell her tale. Miraculously, her eight-month-old foetus also survived the ordeal without a single injury.
Jamna Pawar recuperating at the Sion Hospital
The incident occurred around 12.30 pm on Friday at Amar Mahal junction flyover where Jamna, who belongs to a family of migrant labourers, was sitting next to one of the pillars of the flyover.
Her mother-in-law Rukmini points to the spot where Jamna was sitting before the accident
The driver, who had already met with a minor accident with a nearby rickshaw driver, lost control over the speeding garbage truck and rammed it into Jamna. "It occurred so fast that none of us realised what had just happened. The truck then dragged her for around four to five feet. By the time we rushed to her aid, the driver had fled the scene.
We then called the Tilak Nagar police station and informed them about the incident," Rukmini, Jamna's mother-in-law. Police officials who reached the spot confiscated the garbage truck and rushed Jamna to Rajawadi Hospital. They arrested the driver from near the junction itself. He was produced in a local court on Saturday and was granted bail.
Jamna was shifted to Sion Hospital on Saturday, where she underwent a surgery in which her left foot was amputated. Currently, she is being treated by orthopaedics for her other injuries. Gynaecologists treating Jamna said that the ultrasound scan of her foetus confirmed it was healthy and did not sustain a single injury, as her stomach had not suffered trauma during the mishap.
"We have a two-year-old daughter and are excited to welcome our second child. After the accident, the entire family was worried about her and the unborn child's well-being. But by God's grace, both have survived. I think I will take her back to our hometown once she recovers fully," said Raghunath, Jamna's husband, who cleans manholes for a living.
Doc speak
Dr Suleman Merchant, dean, Sion Hospital, said that the woman would be kept under special care, since it would be difficult for the family to take proper care of her owing to their limited resources. "She has been through much already. We will ensure that she gets nutritious food and receives special care.
If the family wishes, they can keep her under the hospital's care for a longer period so that the doctors are able to treat her injuries and keep her under observation, considering she's just a month away from delivering," said Dr Merchant.
Cop speak
Investigating officer PSI Shobha Dhivre said they had arrested driver Manoj Thorat under Sections 279 (Rash driving) and 338 (Causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the IPC, but he managed to secure bail from the court.
"We arrested him right after the incident and produced him in the court, but he got bail. We will investigate the matter further and record statements of the eyewitnesses. We'll also take help from the Traffic police department," she said.
