Horror, shock and hurt: Battle for survivors is far from over

MUMBAI: A year after the September 29 stampede, too, survivors shudder at the memory of how the few minutes changed their life for the worse forever.

“It all happened within a few minutes. A woman walking ahead of us slipped and fell. My friend, Mohammad Ismail, and I tried to help her, but we too couldn’t handle the pressure. We lost our consciousness,” said Vasai resident Suraj Patwa, recalling the day when the Elphinstone Road bridge was “most crowded ever”.

The damage, Patwa said, although initially seemed minor, will last him through his life.

“There were no visible injuries apart from bruises. Soon, I couldn’t hear from my right ear. Despite the treatment at KEM and a private hospital, doctors have lost hope of recovery. Hearing aid, too, doesn’t work,” he said, adding, “I also suffered a hip injury. I can’t lift heavy objects.”

Patwa said he will fight a case against the railways, as the compensation is not enough, considering the damage is permanent.

Mohammad Ismail, who boarded the same train with Patwa from Nallasopara, said his injured leg hurts till date. “The crowd was unprecedented. We thought people were waiting because of the rain and would disperse soon. One couldn’t have imagined that daily commute could devastate life. We saw people lying dead and injured people crying for help. It was chaotic. People tried to help, but there was no way out,” he said.

Rafukiya Joshua, who suffered serious injuries, said, “We heard someone shout the bridge had collapsed. There was panic everywhere. My shoulder bone got dislocated, and is still to get back to normal. After the injury, I became completely dependent on my husband. The compensation amount was spent in treatment in private hospitals. I could not undergo any surgery.”