T for tragedy, and tenderness too

It takes a strong woman like Nilima Mishra, 43, a law student from National College, to be brave in the wake of a bizarre tragedy.

A week ago her businessman husband Anil, 44, was walking down the sidewalk on Cadell Road at Shivaji Park when a portion of a Thai restaurant’s signboard fell on his head. An emergency surgery at the Jaslok hospital did not help Anil. He never came out of his silence.

Nilima donated the eyes and kidney of her husband to the hospital. The kidney, hospital sources said, was implanted in a needy patient. That of course is not the full story. Recalling the trauma, Nilima said, “We had returned in the morning from my hometown at Dharwad, Karnataka, where we had gone for a short vacation. After reaching home, Anil said he was going to the nearby Ganesh temple and to get some vegetables. He came back with a broken skull instead.”

According to Nilima, Anil was hit on the head by a large piece of the restaurant’s signboard.

“He came home profusely bleeding. “We took him to the nearby Wazir private nursing home, but since his condition was far more serious, we had to take him to Jaslok hospital. A surgery was done, but he never regained consciousness,” said Nilima, who has two sons.

The Shivaji Park police have registered a case of criminal negligence against the restaurant. However, the hotel management denied that it was part of their signboard that fell on Anil’s head.