10-yr-old caught in collision between two dumpers

Veda Ramaswamy and Anuradha Varanasi, Mumbai,
June 28, 2012 - Mid Day

The boy, who was playing with his friends, ventured into restricted area at Deonar dumping ground despite being warned against doing so

Dead end: As one of the dumpers was driving on the wrong side of the road, the two collided, with Shahrukh caught in between

Not paying heed to rules and warnings often leads to mishap, and yesterday afternoon was no different. A 10-year-old boy from Shivaji Nagar, who was playing with friends at Deonar dumping ground, was severely injured in an accident involving two dumper trucks. In spite of entry into the area being prohibited to all but the workers, the boy and his friends had ventured in, ignoring a warning from his own father.

At around noon, Shahrukh Sheikh, who was playing with his friends, went to the middle of the road, unaware of the two garbage dumpers that were approaching him from either end. As one of the dumpers was driving on the wrong side of the road, the two collided, with Shahrukh caught in between.

“The two vehicles were coming from opposite directions, and Shahrukh was playing with his school friends. He was so engrossed in the game that he failed to notice the dumpers plying on the road. We had warned him not to play in that area, but he did not listen to us,” said Ayub Sheikh, his father.

After the mishap, his friends alerted his family members, who immediately took him to Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General (LTMG) Hospital, where he was admitted to the emergency ward at 2:15 pm.

“He is suffering from blunt chest trauma and abdominal injuries. His blood pressure is very low. He is in a state of consciousness, but will be kept under observation tonight,” said Dr Rakesh Verma, assistant dean, LTMG hospital.

No complaint has been registered yet with the police. Ravikant Kadam, assistant sub-inspector of Shivaji Nagar police station, said, “One of the dumpers (MH01L5622) was driving on the wrong side of the lane. If a complaint is registered, the driver could be arrested under Sections 338 and 279 of the Indian Penal Code, but the family is reluctant to do so, as the victim had entered a prohibited area.”  

Link to the original article here.

Swallowing mystery object claims 4-year-old's life

Veda Ramaswamy, Mumbai
June 5, 2012 - Mid Day

Mother says toddler gestured with hands that something was stuck in his throat after he came home from play

Grief-stricken: Suvarna and Shashikant Sawant grieving Manthan’s loss

Tragedy struck Suvarna and Shashikant Sawant, when their four-year-old son, Manthan, was declared dead on arrival at Ghatkopar’s Rajawadi Hospital around 11 am yesterday. However, mystery shrouds Manthan’s death, as he was hale and hearty when he left home to play with his colony friends. The Sawants are residents of Gautam Nagar in Govandi.

“Manthan had chapati with jam and a couple of rava ladoos for breakfast following which he left home to play with his colony friends. However, he came back within 10 minutes. He was feeling restless and started vomiting,” said Suvarna. She also said that Manthan was gesturing with his hands that something was stuck in his throat and she thumped his back, hoping that it would help him get it out. But Manthan collapsed in her lap, and stopped breathing.

“The incident occurred around 10 am in the morning. We immediately rushed him to Sai Kripa Hospital in Chembur. The hospital staff advised us to admit him to Rajawadi hospital, as they lacked ICU facility. But he was declared dead on arrival at Rajawadi,” said Suvarna. His aunt said, “All of us had the same breakfast and sweets. Nothing has happened to any of us. I am certain that he might have swallowed some object, maybe a coin while playing, which led to his unfortunate death.”

“The autopsy report is not yet out. Once we have it, only then can we confirm the exact cause of his death,” said Pandit Sonawane, API, Deonar police station. A case has been registered under Section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Code (doubt regarding the cause of death). Till last night, the police officials were still awaiting the report, so that they could give Sawants the permission to claim the toddler’s body and perform last rites.

“Two months ago, he had fallen off a moving truck, and had injured his jaw. But he made it through that. Little did I know that his life would come to such an abrupt end. He was supposed to start schooling this month,” mourned Suvarna. 

Remembering Manthan as an energetic and a playful child, Supriya, a neighbour, said, “He used to play all day long. He was a very active boy. We thought he would become a sportsperson someday. Of all the children, he was his grandmother’s beloved and she would fondly call him ‘Sonya’."

Link to original article available here.