Students pray for Chum's recovery

BY V L Srinivasan

Published on August 28. 2007

HYDERABAD: 12-year-old Yash Patel Fefar lay battling for his life at Yashoda Hospital on Monday, back home in Rajkot, his schoolmates and teachers prayed for his recovery.

A Class VII student of the Kendriya Vidyalaya in Rajkot, Yash Patel is one of the many injured in the blast at Lumbini Park. He was supposed to re-join his chums on Monday after a mini-vacation with his parents in down South.

His friends, who were waiting to hit the playground after his return, instead queued up with the entire school in hot sun at 1.30 pm to pray for his speedy recovery. Even in the games hour, the students preferred to remain indoors.

Yash's father Vallabhbhai Patel, who was sitting next to him, died in the blast.

``Our children are facing this kind of crisis for the first time. For these children, to see one among them becoming a victim of terrorism is a frightening experience,'' Principal K Ramtek said.

After joining Kendriya Vidyalaya in 2004, within three years, the charming and witty Yash won the hearts of his classmates and teachers. ``Yash is a lovely boy and bright in studies. He is an asset for the school,'' his class teacher K Shukla said.

ENS adds from Hyderabad: Vallabhbai Patel, who was a dealer in Sleepwell mattresses, came to the city along with 65 other distributors to attend a meeting at the Ramoji Film City.

After the meting, he went to Lumbini Park along with his son Yash and wife Meenaben. In the blast, Vallabhbhai died, Yash was injured severely while Meenaben escaped with minor injuries.

Dr P Ranganatham, consultant neurosurgeon attending on Yash Patel, said the shrapnel pierced through Yash's head from the right side to the left resulting in heavy bleeding. ``Yash was given 11 units of blood in half an hour and he was operated upon immediately. We are doing our best to save him,''.