Stoned, and nowhere to go

MUMBAI, JUNE 16: When Ramesh Dave opened the newspapers this morning to read about the blinding of Archana Jadhav, it was more a betrayal...

MUMBAI, JUNE 16: When Ramesh Dave opened the newspapers this morning to read about the blinding of Archana Jadhav, it was more a betrayal of trust. 8220;I felt my message had gone in vain,8221; said the anguished journalist.

A day after losing his eye to a stone flung at him near Borivli station on February 28 this year, Dave issued a passionate newspaper appeal urging people to desist from throwing stones. One stone has brought darkness into my life, if you cannot bring light into somebody8217;s eye, you don8217;t have the right to take away anyone8217;s sight.8217;

Just a fortnight ago, he participated in a short video film about stone throwing, conveying the same message. 8220;I felt anguish. Archana was only 19. She had a whole life before her,8221; says Dave who wonders at the macabre co-incidence that all four persons have lost their left eye to the stones.It has been a painful experience for him since. 8220;I8217;m practically normal and don8217;t have any pain. But I8217;m reminded that I8217;ve got only one eye when I look into the shavingmirror each morning.8221;

But much of his normalcy has been forced. There8217;s a story behind why Dave returned to work as chief sub editor in the Gujarati daily Samkaleen, within just a month of losing his eye. His wife suffered an attack of low blood pressure and Dave8217;s family doctor called him aside and advised him to resume work. 8220;He said that my wife would suffer more if she saw me at home the whole day.8221;

He has a small silver lining to look forward to. Studio8217;, a collection of short stories based on real life incidents, penned by Dave over the years is slated to be released on June 24. Regrettably, his true-life tragedy doesn8217;t figure in it.

Meanwhile, Archana8217;s left eye is delicately balanced between vision and blindness. According to Dr P P Lahane, Professor and head of the J J8217;s Opthalmology Department, she has suffered a corneal and scelaral tear, and protrusion of the iris, vitreous and lens. The eyeball was also full of blood. In an operation on Tuesday the tear was sutured and the extent ofdamage will be determined in a sonography on Thursday.

8220;Though, we will know only after two or three weeks whether she can see with her left eye,8221; says Lahane admitting in the same breath that the chances are slim. It all depends on whether the eyeball maintains its size and shape or collapses. Lahane has advised commuters to look down while travelling, to avoid damage to the eyes from stones.