PANJIM: She was almost close to reaching the Basilica of Bom
Jesus at Old Goa when a recklessly driven Hyundai i-20, driven by the son of
Goa’s most iconic singer Remo Fernandes, knocked her down near Bodgini Temple,
Mapusa.
The 17-year-old accident survivor will undergo plastic
surgery at Goa Medical College and Hospital on Friday after going through an
immediate surgery and a number of treatments since the ill-fated day on
December 1.
The car driver, Remo’s son Jonah Fernandes, is only charged
under sections 279 (rash driving) and 338 (causing grievous hurt by act
endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code.
No member of the famed-family has bothered to either visit
the victim, who lies on bed number 29 in ward number 105 of the GMC or offer
her any assistance.
The victim along with her sister Loyalina had walked from
their hometown in Malvan to visit the Old Goa feast ahead of St Francis Xavier
feast on December 3. But fate had something else in store for the two sisters.
“On reaching Vancio Wado, the victim was knocked down by the
car at about 4:40pm. She was hurt on the left side, her foot and forehead was
bleeding,” a witness told Herald, confirming that Jonah was driving the car
bearing registration number GA-03-P-9546. According to police records, Jonah
was driving from Mapusa towards Porvorim and the sisters too were walking
towards Porvorim.
It is learnt that the father-son duo waited at the crime
spot till the 108 ambulance was called and she was rushed to the GMC for
medical help. Mapusa police registered an offence against the 26-year-old
driver and seized his car but he has still not faced arrest for the offense.
According to the initial complaint the impact of the crash
was such that an electricity pole was uprooted.
The girl, according to orthopedic doctors, had her ankle
displaced and soft tissue damaged. “She had first undergone surgery for crash
injury soon after the accident. Since the skin is peeled off, plastic surgery
will be carried out on her on Friday,” Dr S M Bandekar, Professor and Head of
Orthopedic Surgery said.
Another doctor, treating the patient said she had a fracture
of the tibia with crush injury of the foot and ankle. “We have put external
fixation so that the wound settles down. Now, we will conduct plastic surgery.
The portion of the leg has to be covered,” he said.
Even after the surgery, doctor say, it will take
three-to-six months for the recovery and she may be advised complete bed rest
too during this period.
The Malvan sisters are reportedly from a poor financial
background and the victim had to drop her schooling after her father passed
away some years ago. With her mother next to the hospital bed, the distraught
family is demanding justice.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Victim and sister were walking from Malwan to the Old Goa
feast on Dec 1, when Remo’s son’s speeding car hit her
Remo was in the car, his son at the wheel
Waited till the 108 ambulance arrived and then left; haven’t asked about or visited victim’s family at hospital to offer any assistance
Case of rash driving and causing grievous hurt
against Remo’s son Jonah, but not detained or arrested.