When most people in Ahmedabad were busy making politically-correct statements, Nitin Shah was helping riot-hit at VS Hospital.As mobs went on the rampage on February 28, there was chaos around the hospital. Victims who poured in were at their wits’ end to get hold of medicines that doctors prescribed.Shah, an LIC development officer, stepped in and arranged for money and medicines from a nearby medical store. ‘‘He even paid the booth owner from where several people called up relatives,’’ said victim Vinod Solanki.Raju Patel of Chetan Medical Store said he sold medicines worth Rs 45,000 to all those who came with Shah’s visiting card. ‘‘In a day, we sold medicines worth Rs 17,000. Later, I came to know from relatives that Shah was known to some of our friends. After that, we gave medicines to everyone who came with his reference,’’ Patel said. Shah had earlier helped out after the January 2001 quake.‘‘Someone told me hundreds of people were being brought to V.S. Hospital and there was chaos. On reaching the hospital, I found several injured, most unable to afford medicines,” Shah said. Solanki, who was shot in the leg, was one of those Shah helped. Solanki, still in ward number 9 of the hospital, said Shah also helped him get medicines from Chetan Medical Store for over a week.Shah recalls: ‘‘Most injured were from the minority community. Because of the rush, doctors were unable to fill lengthy forms to help procure medicines from the hospital store. So they scribbled prescriptions and asked relatives to buy them. But most had no money as they had just fled their homes.”Shah ended up spending Rs 1,200 the first day. The next day, he returned with more money, but found there was a deluge of patients. ‘‘I then went to Chetan Medical Store and talked to the owner. I gave him my visiting card with specimen signature and requested him to provide free medicines to anyone who came with my signed card. I promised to reimburse,’’ Shah said.
