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- dEsPeraTe cRaNky -
NEW DELHI:
Their immunity might have been weakened by high-intensity Cobalt 60 exposure, but their spirits are still high. All set to go home, Deepak and Ajay Jain, the two scrap dealers who were battling for life at Army hospital till a month ago, now plan to take legal action against Delhi University (DU), which had auctioned a gamma irradiator along with Cobalt 60 isotope without any warnings.
"We have decided to take move court against those responsible for our condition. We almost lost our life. We are scrap dealers and don't know about radiation. But people who disposed of the isotope in DU must have been aware of its dangerous side-effects. They should have taken necessary precautions," said Ajay Jain, who carried a small piece of the isotope in his wallet for more than a month.
All set to get discharged from the Army hospital on Wednesday, Deepak Jain says that he is worried about the future. "Though I feel much better now, I know that I am prone to medical complications in future. I have to be very careful now," said Deepak, who bought the isotope from a local scrap dealer. The two can't get back to work immediately and have to come to Army hospital for regular check-ups every 15 days. Brig Velu Nair, head of department of hematology at Army hospital, said: "Their bone marrows were terribly suppressed. Deepak and Ajay had just 5% and 15% of unaffected bone marrow respectively when they first came to us. In Deepak's case, it has increased from 5% to 30%. Not only this, their other parameters have also come to normal levels. We have told them to report to us if they develop complication. Moreover, our team will be keeping a close watch on their condition."
Doctors say both the victims don't need bone marrow transplant for the time being, as they are responding well to the treatment. "But we have identified the donors in both the cases and will do the transplant if there is a need. At present, they don't need a transplant," said Lt Gen Naresh Kumar, commandant, Army Hospital.
Their family members say that life has changed drastically ever since the two were diagnosed with radiation exposure. "There is no business happening in Mayapuri right now. And now we have to take special care of Ajay and we don't know when he will be able to get back to work," said Vipin Jain, Ajay's brother. When asked whether if he remembers the person who sold the isotope to him, Deepak said, "It was a local scrap dealer and it is difficult to identify him, as we deal with more than 20 dealers on a daily basis. Now we will be careful."
Their immunity might have been weakened by high-intensity Cobalt 60 exposure, but their spirits are still high. All set to go home, Deepak and Ajay Jain, the two scrap dealers who were battling for life at Army hospital till a month ago, now plan to take legal action against Delhi University (DU), which had auctioned a gamma irradiator along with Cobalt 60 isotope without any warnings.
"We have decided to take move court against those responsible for our condition. We almost lost our life. We are scrap dealers and don't know about radiation. But people who disposed of the isotope in DU must have been aware of its dangerous side-effects. They should have taken necessary precautions," said Ajay Jain, who carried a small piece of the isotope in his wallet for more than a month.
All set to get discharged from the Army hospital on Wednesday, Deepak Jain says that he is worried about the future. "Though I feel much better now, I know that I am prone to medical complications in future. I have to be very careful now," said Deepak, who bought the isotope from a local scrap dealer. The two can't get back to work immediately and have to come to Army hospital for regular check-ups every 15 days. Brig Velu Nair, head of department of hematology at Army hospital, said: "Their bone marrows were terribly suppressed. Deepak and Ajay had just 5% and 15% of unaffected bone marrow respectively when they first came to us. In Deepak's case, it has increased from 5% to 30%. Not only this, their other parameters have also come to normal levels. We have told them to report to us if they develop complication. Moreover, our team will be keeping a close watch on their condition."
Doctors say both the victims don't need bone marrow transplant for the time being, as they are responding well to the treatment. "But we have identified the donors in both the cases and will do the transplant if there is a need. At present, they don't need a transplant," said Lt Gen Naresh Kumar, commandant, Army Hospital.
Their family members say that life has changed drastically ever since the two were diagnosed with radiation exposure. "There is no business happening in Mayapuri right now. And now we have to take special care of Ajay and we don't know when he will be able to get back to work," said Vipin Jain, Ajay's brother. When asked whether if he remembers the person who sold the isotope to him, Deepak said, "It was a local scrap dealer and it is difficult to identify him, as we deal with more than 20 dealers on a daily basis. Now we will be careful."
