Mohammad Shahid’s family point fingers at Indian Railways and Hockey India

“No member of the Indian Railways or Hockey India has come to inquire about his well being,” said Mohammad Nasir, his nephew and a former India hockey player. Nasir, an employee of ONGC said that the authorisation credit note – a note issued by the Railways to the hospital informing them that they would take care of all of Shahid’s expenses – mentioned that Shahid had to be be shifted to the general ward following his stay in the ICU. “Isn’t it sad that a hockey player who was an Olympic gold medalist, a Padam Shri and a Class 1 officer with the Railways gets this sort of treatment,” said Nasir.

READ:Dhanraj Pillay appeals to Narendra Modi for hockey legend Mohammad Shahid’s treatment

Nasir added that the Railways letter had only been issued on Friday, two days after Shahid, 56, had first been airlifted to the hospital from the Sir Sundar Lal Hospital in Varanasi where he was being treated. “ Until now, the family has been making payments by cash to the hospital on our own. We have spent close to two and a half lakhs already, says Nasir. He alleged that there had been lack of support from the federation as well.

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“On the day Shahid mamu was being taken to Delhi, we got a call from the office of Dr. Narinder Batra (President of Hockey India) office asking whether we would want to get him shifted to Dr. Batra’s hospital in Delhi. But the doctors in Varanasi had already suggested that he be airlifted to Medanta. So we had him admitted to Medanta. But ever since that first call we have had no contact from the federation or any offer of financial support,” said Nasir. He says it is only some of Shahid’s teammates who have visited him or made calls to the family asking about his health. “Zafar Iqbal, had visited him yesterday. We also got calls from Mohinder Pal Singh and a few others” he said.

Shahid’s condition remains critical says Nisar. “Doctors have said that he needs a liver transplant. But because his kidneys are not functioning normally, he can’t undergo surgery. They have said they will try to get his kidneys functioning normally over the next few days before deciding any further course of action,” says Nisar.