I didn’t know whom to operate on first: Doctor

IN SAFE HANDS: More than 64 blast victims are recuperating at Dr Saeed Farani’s hospital in Malegaon


Mateen Hafeez | TNN

Malegaon: “I was having food at home when I heard about blast victims being rushed to my hospital. When I rushed there I was shocked. It was difficult for me to decide on whom to operate first. There were old men, children and police personnel among the victims.’’ This is how Dr Saeed Farani (48) described the scene at his hospital on Monday night.

“Three victims—Farheen Shaikh, Rafeeque Shaikh and Mushtaque Shaikh—were brought dead to my hospital. Around a dozen victims, who were brought later, were critically injured and I didn’t know whom to attend first. I could see victims crying with pain. I started operating upon those who were seriously injured. It was a difficult night,’’ he added.

Incidentally, Farani faced the same dilemma two years ago when four bombs went off in the textile town on Shab-e-Baraat. An MS, he was awarded the Mother Teresa Award for Social Justice in 2006 for the help he extended to the September 2006 blast victims. After the October 26, 2001 riots—which claimed 17 lives—Farani was conferred the Mahatma Gandhi Peace Award in 2002 for his services.

“Currently, 64 blast victims are recuperating at Faran Hospital. Every time there is a tragedy, we are forced to go to Dr Farani’s hospital. It is the only hospital in eastern Malegaon (which is dominated by Muslims),’’ a resident said.

Incidentally, there is not a single civil hospital in Malegaon. The state government sanctioned Rs 22 crore for a hospital after a public outrage following the 2006 blasts which killed 31. Though work on the project has started, the structure is nowhere near completion even after two years.

The Times of India, October 3, 2008