MARGAO: In the embers of the wretchedness of humanity that wafted through Margao as a young man shot and stabbed bled to death, there was tale of great bravery and compassion. The brave hearts were three women, two young doctors and their colleague from the geriatric care centre looking after heart, diabetes and other health issues, situated right next to Swapnil Walke’s jewellery shop Krishni Jewellers.
For close to one hour they tried to stabilise the bleeding and sinking Walke, who had a ruptured artery on his right wrist, pierced with a knife that cut through even his muscle, a deep gash below his left ear, a bullet shot wound later discovered and then the killer stab blows on his back, which according to the doctors led to “blood gushing out as if it was an open tap”.
As they put as much cotton as they could to stop the blood flow and support him, they “with folded hands” begged people on the streets for help. “At the very least, we wanted a car any car, to rush him to hospital”, one of the doctors said. The Hospicio hospital is less than two minutes away. With no transport, the late arrival of the Margao police and even the ambulance which was called, the three ladies just could not manage to keep Walke alive any longer. He collapsed on the footpath outside the Kamat Hospital in front of his shop, even as the PCR van arrived, only in time for Walke’s limp body to be hauled up, with the ladies and others knowing that he had not made it, and a trip to Hospicio would only confirm the inevitable.
Team Herald visited the Rafael Medicare Centre which literally shares the same wall space with Krishni Jewellers. It was a normal day for Leola, Dr Pallavi and Dr Ashwini. Leola was settling in to the normal business of running the centre, Dr Pallavi was in a meeting on the first floor and Dr Ashwini was at the back.
Leola was the first one to notice something amiss, “I heard some noise and peeped out from inside our centre to see Swapnil grappling with one man. Realising this was serious I rushed to call the others. When we returned I saw two men, one shirtless running past us towards the hilly area (beyond Kamat Hospital). Our driver Braz ran behind the two.”
By this time Dr Ashwini ran out with cotton wool and saw Swapnil Walke on the footpath outside his shop totally dazed, he uttered two words. “Help” and “Water”. Now Dr Ashwini narrates, “I saw blood all around his neck and thought he was stabbed. I cleaned the area with cotton and then realised that there was a deep gash below and behind his left ear. I blocked that and then when I reached for his hand, I realised what had happened. On his right wrist there was a very deep wound which pierced not just his flesh but prized out his muscle. The artery was but and there was massive blood flow. This had to be attended or…”
By this time reinforcement appeared with Dr Pallavi her colleague rushing out with more cotton wool. She said, “Swapnil was still conscious and was bravely holding on, despite losing so much blood. At this time with folded hands, we asked passersby and those nearby, to lend their car so that we could take him to hospital. Our driver Braz had gone chasing after the attacker and we can’t drive. We then decided to literally carry him to the Kamat Hospital about 10 metres away.
Incidentally, Braz returned after a failed chase and Swapnil Walke even in that state called driver Braz (who is well known to all in the locality) and said what were his last words in Konkani, “Braz go to my shop and look after it.”
Since the hospital is on the second floor the bleeding Kamat was kept downstairs on a wheelchair, which one of the hospital attendants provided.
Dr Pallavi then called the patriarch of the hospital the senior Dr Kamat and then rushed upstairs to speak to Dr Gautam Kamat. He was seeing patients but I went right in and asked him if he would treat the bleeding patient and he advised that he isn’t equipped to handle these emergencies and we should rush him to a bigger hospital.”
(Herald went to the Kamat Hospital and one of the attendants connected him on phone. To Herald Dr Kamat said, “The person was on the ground floor and was not sent up. He wasn’t brought to us’. He also said that, generally speaking, his facility didn’t have the facilities to treat such serious emergency cases).
Dr Pallavi then ran downstairs by which time Swapnil Walke’s wife had arrived. But it was all too late. The PCR van which should have arrived much earlier, turned up near the Kamat Hospital, Dr Pallavi said, “Swapnil had collapsed by then. In fact when he was being lifted to the PCR van and his shirt came up we noticed the gunshot wound on his lower abdomen. At the same time blood oozed out from his back like a running tap.”
Even the ambulance called had not arrived by then. Swapnil had already lost his life.
Dr Pallavi also confirmed that the PI or any other police officer had not arrived by then. Just the PCR van did.
This contradicts the press note issued by PI Margao on Wednesday where he stated, “Immediately PI Margao town along with his staff rushed to the spot and found Swapnil Walke, 41 severely injured. PI immediately shifted the victim to Hospicio Hospital, Margao where he was declared brought dead”. To those who remained with Walke till he succumbed, this version is incorrect.
To the three women bravehearts, salutations are in order with just one regret. With a little bit of local support and humanity, Walke would have had a better chance.
