BHOPAL: Women in Zamindar Mohalla locality of communal violence-hit Khargone town of Madhya Pradesh are holding special prayers daily for a 16-year-old boy Shivam Shukla, who is battling for life at an Indore hospital, after being injured in the violence.
Shivam was about to leave on April 11 for his native Dhar district to attend the marriage of his elder sister Kritika, but the attack by rioters on April 10, resulting in severe brain injuries, ended him up at a private hospital in Indore.
While women are praying for his safety at their homes and nearby temples in the curfew-clamped Khargone, some residents of Khargone, as well as Indore, have collected around Rs 2 lakh for the treatment.
After being on ventilator support for more than two days, Shivam started showing signs of recovery on Wednesday and is now on external oxygen support.
A native of Nisarpur village in neighbouring Dhar district, Shivam has been living with his maternal uncle’s family in Zamindar Mohalla for the last five years and had taken admission to a diploma course in government polytechnic after completing matriculation last year in Khargone.
With his maternal uncle’s family being the priests of the famous Hinglaj Mata Temple in Khargone town, Shivam along with cousins performed the special Ram Navami arti at the temple and was returning home, when he sustained head injuries in stone-throwing from neighbouring Khaskhas Wadi locality.
“He fell unconscious and was rushed to Khargone district hospital, from where doctors referred him to Indore,” Shivam’s cousin Manthan Joshi said.
According to Indore Divisional Commissioner Dr Pawan Verma, the MP CM has announced that the government will bear the entire expenses for Shivam’s treatment.
Home Minister, Muslim leaders meet
Muslim community leaders led by Bhopal’s Qazi Mushtaq Ali Nadvi met MP Home Minister Narottam Mishra and flayed the “demolition of the properties of one community”.
