Govt appoints Ujjwal Nikam to plead Ankita’s case

Nagpur: Maharashtra government on Friday appointed renowned lawyer Ujjwal Nikam as special public prosecutor (SPP) to plead the case of Ankita Pisudde, who was allegedly set ablaze by accused Vikesh Nagrale (27) on Monday.

Nikam told TOI that he had received a call from home minister Anil Deshmukh in this regard and he had granted his consent. “My work would commence only after Wardha police files a charge-sheet in the incident,” he said.

Earlier, Deshmukh made an announcement through a Tweet stating that Nikam would plead the Hinganghat victim case. He also declared that case would be tried by a fast-track court. “All legal expenses will be borne by the state government,” he said, while making an appeal to people to pray for the survivor’s recovery.

Deshmukh’s tweet cleared the air on confusion over lawyer’s appointment to plead the case. Earlier, Wardha police superintendent had contacted noted lawyer Prashant Sathianathan for the case and he had consented for it.

Later, Mahindra group chairman Anand Mahindra expressed willingness to help out the 25-year-old college lecturer through a tweet. While enquiring on the whereabouts of her family, he sought contact details of her family members. “Unimaginable cruelty. A life devastated. Even more cruel when we turn the page of the newspaper and move on. How is she managing her medical expenses,” he tweeted.

After chief minister Uddhav Thackeray offered help to the lecturer and also released first instalment of Rs4 lakh out of Rs11 lakh announced, other ministers from his cabinet are also extending financial support. Women an child development minister Yashomati Thakur, after her Wednesday’s visit to the hospital to meet the victim, also announced that she would be provided with all the help under government’s ‘Manodharya scheme’.

She also assured that the survivor’s family that they wouldn’t face any problem in her treatment and directives were already issued to Wardha and Nagpur collectors in this regard.

FOGSI condemns Hinganghat incident

The Federation of Obstetric & Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI) on Friday condemned the Hinganghat incident terming it as “heinous act of atrocity”. The federation has more than 37,000 doctors attached to it in India, majority of them women.

Violence Against Women (VAW) cell issued an official statement highlighting the need to focus on educating boys and work on the theme of ‘Beta Samjhao Beti Bachao’. “VAW cell strongly condemns this heinous act of atrocity and sexual violence on survivor. Violence against women is a problem of pandemic proportions,” said core committee member Dr Laxmi Shrikhande.

FOGSI reasserted its commitment of teachers’ training so that they can inculcate the values of gender equality in boys right from their early age.

Victim still critical, infection fear grips in

The victim’s condition was reported to be critical on Friday as she had fluctuation in blood pressure and the urine output. The hospital in her medical bulletin stated that third session of debridement of both upper limb and burn dressings was done on Friday.

“Her antibiotics have been escalated on Thursday in view of infection suspicion and we’ve also added infection disease specialist Dr Ashwini Tayade into the team of treating panel. With reduction in eye lash swelling, the ophthalmologist provisionally conveyed minimal corneal damage with responding the light,” reads the statement.

Doctors told TOI that remedial measures in the form of medicine to increase the blood pressure to optimum level were started from Thursday. “For accurate measurement of blood pressure an arterial line has been set-up for precise and continuous recording and monitoring. The victim is responding to commands. The specialists are keeping an eye on anticipated complications like infection and respiratory deterioration,” they said.


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