Subarakshita on the road to recovery

Chennai: Six months after 10-year-old Subarakshitha was hit by a Merc, and almost died, she is back in school. She was bedridden for five months as her right wrist and shoulder bones were fractured when the luxury car ran over her. Though she is yet to recover completely, the family decided to send her to school to help her regain confidence. The girl, too, was excited to go back to her friends and teachers. “It was a moving ‘reunion’,” said Subarakshitha.

In May 2013, Shaji Purushothaman, son of Empee groups chairman, allegedly hit Subarakshitha and four other children in front of Egmore children’s hospital. While Subarakshitha was grievously injured, her cousin T. Muniraj (12) died in the accident.

Subarakshitha is only now able to take small steps with the support of her parents, Manjula and Kumar. “We took her to school as she wanted to study and appear for the exams this year. All her friends and teachers received her well and encouraged her to attend classes. Her teacher also promised special care and classes for her,” said her father Kumar.

It was a tough battle for the housemaid mother and auto driver father to meet the hospital expenses of Subarakshitha. They took huge loans to pay the bills. When the Madras High Court intervened, Shaji Purushothaman paid Rs 5 lakh towards the medical bills. “Doctors told us that it’s only the mental strength of Subarakshitha that helped her heal so fast. She is physically weak. But she always wanted to go to school, play and study,” said Manjula.

Talking about her return to school, Subarakshitha said, “My friends and teachers visited me at home and told me that I should come to school. I acted as a butterfly in the school programme early this year. I hope I will be able to do it again shortly.”

Manjula said Subarakshitha was happy to wear her school uniform again. “She was up early, got ready and rejoiced wearing her uniform again. When she met her friends, her excitement grew,” she said, adding that she could see her daughter smile and her face glow when she returned home from school.