Donating blood, he says: ‘Hundreds need help, no matter Hindu or Muslim’

Just hours after the terror attacks, more than 260 Hindu as well as Muslim youths had lined up at six blood camps in Vadodara. Thanks to their efforts, city-based Suraktam blood bank was able to immediately send around 170 bottles of blood to Ahmedabad. It has held six blood camps over the past two days. “Hundreds of people need help in Ahmedabad. In such a situation, I am not bothered about who is a Hindu or Muslim. What I care is how to save people and I am ready to help,” says 25-year-old Firoz Pathan from Khatriwaad. Dr Belim Osman, who works in the surgery department of SSG Hospital and organised a blood camp, found many people with rare blood groups had come in. Dr R B Bhesania, who heads the Suraktam blood bank, says around 350 Muslim youths as well as the Saurashtra Leuva Samaj in Vadodara were on call to donate blood. Other blood banks in the city claim they are equally well-stocked after donation drives.