Bangalore blast victim seeks financial help to study

Bangalore, June 25: Over two months on, a girl injured in the April 17 bomb blast outside the BJP Office here, has sought financial help from the state government to pursue her studies, stating she is suffering for no fault of hers.

N S Leesha, a college student who was among the 16 injured persons, said government should provide necessary help as her father is a daily wage earner and hasn't gone for work for past two months as he had to attend to her medical needs.

"I had requested Home Minister K J George for help when he visited me in the hospital. He promised that he will speak to the Education Department in this regard," she said.

Leesha also sought financial help for further medical treatment as she has to undergo two limb surgeries. She had an open crushed fracture on her left leg with her bone totally shattered and another large wound on her leg.

"I am running my house with some help coming from my well-wishers. I have also submitted letters to government seeking help, but we haven't received any so far," Leesha's father Doreswamy said.

He said Leesha wanted to become an aeronautical engineer, but now she has decided to be a computer engineer. Recounting the incident, she said she was caught in the blast after she took a break from her Common Entrance Test coaching class for professional courses.

"I had gone for a quick snack and a visit to the temple near the blast site. Suddenly a loud bang pushed me and my friend Rakshita to the ground. After few seconds I realised my leg has got severed and was hanging," she said.

Dr Harshad Shah, head of the Orthopaedics Department, said the limb reconstruction was a must in Leesha’s case. "Bone and tissues were cut into pieces and mixed with foreign bodies. Any delay would have resulted in amputation," he said.

Leesha's leg has been fixed with rings supported by tiny rods. In such cases, it will take a minimum of six months for the patient to be completely well, he said.

After spending fifty one days in MS Ramaiah Hospital, Leesha was discharged on June 7.

PTI