More than a fortnight after he was critically injured by MSRTC bus driver Santosh Mane on January 25, seven-year-old Rishi Khandelwal fought a tough battle and finally got discharged from Jehangir Hospital on Friday.

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However, he is yet to undergo two surgeries next month.

The student of JN Petit High School who was confined to a hospital bed with severe head, hand and other injuries is yet to be told of his father’s death. Rishi’s father Pinkesh was dropping him off to school on the fateful day when Santosh Mane stole a bus and mowed down eight people injuring 30 in his joyride of death.

While Pinkesh died on the spot, Rishi was rushed to Sassoon General Hospital in a critical state where a life saving neurosurgery was performed by doctors. The next day, Rishi was shifted in critical condition to Jehangir Hospital where he remained on ventilator for a few days. His physical and mental condition has prevented the Khandelwal family from telling the truth about his father’s death.

“He keeps asking repeatedly as he knows his father was also hurt. We have told him that his father is well and has gone to his hometown. He wishes to speak telephonically but we are somehow managing him. We are waiting for the two surgeries to get over after which we shall break the news to him,’’ said Rishi’s uncle Anand Khandelwal.

Doctors recall Rishi as a determined boy who fought through his illness. “He was very bad when he was brought here. In fact, for first 48 hours, he was on ventilator and critical. But he is a fighter and a brave child who came through it,’’ said Dr Sagar Lad, paeditric intensive care specialist.

Neurosurgeon Dr Prashant Khandelwal said the boy needs to undergo two surgeries for right arm fracture and skull surgery in a month.

“When he was operated at Sassoon for a blood clot in brain, a portion of skull was removed from certain area as his skull was fractured. Now, we are going to do a cranioplasty or replace skull in that area and an surgery for his right arm fracture is scheduled,’’ said Khandelwal.