It has been a week since the handis came crashing down, killing two people and injuring 425 people
And yesterday, the death toll went up by one after a 24-year-old, who was admitted to the ICU of civic-run KEM Hospital, succumbed to his injuries on Thursday morning.
Shashikant Mane was on the third tier when a govinda from the tier above him fell on his neck, leading to spinal injuries
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Shashikant Mane, a vada pav stall owner, was admitted to hospital on August 29 after he was left paralysed in all his limbs and sustained spinal injuries after the govindas above him in the pyramid fell right on his neck.
“He used to participate in dahi handi almost every year ever since he moved to the city from Raigad, almost a decade ago. Unfortunately, this time while he was on the third tier of the pyramid, another govinda on the tier above him landed right on his neck after which he lost consciousness and had to be rushed to the hospital,” said Maruti, victim’s older brother.
Following his fall, Shashikant underwent a spinal operation on Saturday, but doctors had warned the family that chances of survival seemed bleak. “They said that in such cases, the patient succumbs to the injuries in a matter of months, if not a few days,” added Maruti.
Following the surgery, Shashikant was kept under observation in the ICU but he constantly complained of breathlessness. His general condition was poor, said Deepak Sawant, another relative. A doctor from the hospital said, “The patient died due to respiratory failure. The cervical vertebra fractures, which had led to his paralysis had put a heavy strain on his heart making it difficult for him to breathe and eventually led to his demise.”
Inconsolable family
Shashikant’s family was grief-stricken after they heard the news of his demise. His family, residents of Raigad, arrived at the hospital to collect his body. His mother was heartbroken over the news and could not stop crying. “It is tragic that he died. But we are worried for his family, as he and his brother were the sole breadearners for the family,” added Sawant.
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