Paralysed Banastarim accident victim’s kin pray after surgery

Panaji: Following a prolonged surgery, Shankar Halarnkar, 66, one of the victims of the tragic Banastarim accident, is now finally out of the ICU and recuperating in a ward at the Goa Medical College and Hospital, Bambolim. A major portion of his body was left paralysed after accused Paresh Sawardekar rammed into several vehicles in a drunken state at Banastarim on August 6.

Halarnkar will be under observation till Monday for return of any movement to his body. “The surgery is complete and Halarnkar is recuperating after 48 hours in ICU. He is still on oxygen. The surgery was carried out on his cervical spine by the neurosurgery team. I am told he is doing well and that slight movement has returned,” GMC dean Dr Shivanand Bandekar told TOI.

Halarnkar’s son, Shoban, said the family is eagerly awaiting the doctors’ verdict on Monday.

“It was a long-drawn surgery. He was taken in at 11am on Thursday and we could see him only past 7pm. He returned to the ward on Friday and now he is conscious and talking again. But doctors said they will observe him till Monday and told us about the possibility of movement returning to both his arms and left leg,” said Shoban.

There was movement left only in Halarnkar’s right leg post the accident and he was unable to even sit up after the damage to his spine.

“Though he is 66 years old, he was not suffering from any chronic illness and was not on any medication before the accident. He was a perfectly healthy and fit man, who worked like a youngster. Now, just because of the irresponsible driving of these accused, my father has been reduced to this state,” said Shoban.

On Friday, CM Pramod Sawant had visited the GMC to meet the victims, at which time Halarnkar was in the ICU.

“The doctors had informed us that the CM is visiting GMC and would be meeting us. We were waiting to meet him. But he only met one of the accident victims and did not meet us. We are stuck in the hospital because of my father’s critical condition and are not even able to follow up or check what is happening with the investigation,” Shoban said.