German Bakery blast: Doctor deposes before court

Dr Pravin Survase, 27, the surgeon from Sassoon General hospital, who treated German Bakery blast victims deposed before additional sessions Judge NP Dhote saying the victims he had treated were injured in a blast. However, when the special public prosecutor asked him whether he meant a bomb blast, he said it could be any blast.

Survase has been working as a resident doctor with the surgery department of Sassoon hospital since May 2009. He had examined 12 German Bakery blast victims on February 13, 2010.

Survase informed the court that the patients he examined suffered burns, injuries due to splinters, abrasions and others wounds that may take place due to a blast.

During cross-examinatio, Survase said a fall could result in such injuries, but the way they were suffered cumulatively indicated that there was a blast or explosion. When special public prosecutor Raja Thakare asked him whether he meant the German Bakery blast, the doctor replied in affirmative. Himayat Baig, the sole arrested accused in the case, could not be produced before the court due to staff shortage in the police department as most personnel were busy with security arrangements for the civic elections.