New Delhi: A shy boy from Jammu’s Kathua, 20-year-old Neeraj Bawa had come to Delhi a year ago to fulfil his dream – a degree in economics from Delhi University . Today, he is fighting for his life in AIIMS Delhi, nearly a month after the world came crashing down on him.
Neeraj was one of the three students rescued after a PG collapsed in south Delhi’s Satya Niketan on Sept 6. After 26 days, six surgeries and multiple skin grafts, Neeraj remains in Ward No. 9 of the AIIMS ICU. Neeraj’s father, Darshan Dass (67), came to know about his son’s injury from TV. On Sept 6, Neeraj had just finished eating lunch with his friend, Nitish Chib, when the building collapsed.
Because of his injuries, neeraj is worried he won’t be able to study for a year. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Delhi | Silver Rate in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi | Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Petrol Price in Delhi | Diesel Price in Delhi | CNG Price in Delhi | LPG Price in Delhi Stay updated with the latest Delhi news.
I thought the boy looked a lot like Neeraj,” he said. “I didn’t know he made so many friends in college,” said a pleasantly surprised Dass. Nitish, who returned to his Jammu home after being discharged, told TOI he could hear Neeraj pleading with his friends to save him while they were trapped. “After getting into DU, I hoped to study hard and do something worthwhile,” said Nitish, “but I just don’t feel like coming back to Delhi ever. “Before he left for Delhi, he told me he’d make me proud one day,” said Dass.
He is undergoing treatment after suffering lacerations on his stomach, back and near his groin, and a fractured hip. Five DU students — Arpit Jaj, Akshat Yadav, Pavan Yadav, Yuvraj Soni and Abhishek Kumar — died in the building collapse. “When I turned on the news, a brief clip of a boy being taken out from the rubble and placed on a stretcher was playing. Neeraj’s sister then identified the rakhi on his hand — she had tied it on his hand just a week before. The family was allowed to meet Neeraj a day later, inside the ICU. “My boy immediately raised his hand to gesture that he was fine. He followed it with a raspy ‘main theek hoon papa’. Many of Neeraj’s friends have tried, in vain, to squeeze themselves during the one-hour visiting slot. In despair, Neeraj called his friends and sent them his live location, hoping they would pull him out soon. Both were taken out hours later after a gruelling rescue operation and taken to hospital. The two had come to Delhi together after securing a seat in Motilal Nehru College and decided to move into the PG. “I can wait for him to make me proud, he just needs to recover and stand up on his feet for now. Download the TOI App.
He feels his son will recover soon, but “the doctors are uncertain. Till my boy is in the ICU, no one can be sure.”
Dass has remained outside Neeraj’s ward since then.