Palghar boy assaulted by auto driver returns home from hosp

Mumbai: The Palghar child who was brutally assaulted by an autorickshaw driver on March 30, returned home after 10 days in hospital, surviving "life-threatening brain injuries," said doctors.The attack, captured on video, showed the accused, Sandeep Pawar, lifting the nursery student by his legs, slamming him to the ground and smashing his head against an iron road divider. Police said the assault stemmed from a dispute between Pawar and the child's father, Atul Kondhare.Kondhare told TOI that his son Vignesh is still very frightened. "He is fine with family members, but whenever a visitor drops by home to enquire about his health, he gets frightened," said Kondhare, adding that the family has requested people not to drop by.Vignesh's speech, walk and hand movements are still affected. "His right hand doesn't seem to work well, and he is not able to walk properly," said the father. His speech is unintelligible. "When he says one or two words slowly, then we can understand, but when he speaks rapidly and in long sentences, we are unable to understand. This irritates him," he added.However, doctors are confident the child's health will improve over the next couple of months."The child had life-threatening injuries, but has made a remarkable recovery," said Dr Ankit Gupta, paediatric critical care specialist, who treated the child at Wockhardt Hospital in Mira Road.A CT scan on the day of the assault revealed multiple intracranial haemorrhages, pointing to severe brain trauma. Dr Gupta said the child suffered a moderate diffuse axonal injury, a serious form of traumatic brain injury caused by tearing of nerve fibres when the brain is violently shaken inside the skull."We promptly started anti-edema therapy to control brain swelling and anticonvulsants to prevent seizures. Continuous monitoring and timely interventions played a crucial role in stabilising his condition," the doctor added.The boy was in a comatose state for at least five days, said his father. During treatment, doctors also observed reduced strength in his right arm, indicating neurological damage. A rehabilitation plan, including physiotherapy, was started in hospital, and doctors said he will improve steadily over the next three months.