Delhi accident victims’ kin donate eyes: He is gone but it’s a noble cause

A hospital official said that families of all four victims were counselled and explained the procedure in detail so that they could take an informed decision.

Families of the four persons who were run over by a truck in northeast Delhi’s Seemapuri area 1.51am on Wednesday have donated the eyes of the deceased. The bodies of the four were handed over their next of kin after post-mortem examination was conducted at Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital, police officers aware of the matter said.

Locals gather at the site where a speeding truck mowed down people sleeping on the road divider, in Seemapuri, New Delhi on Wednesday. (Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo)

Deputy commissioner of police (Shahdara) R Sathiyasundaram identified the deceased as Kareem Khan, 52, Shah Alam, 38, Chhote Khan, 25, all residents of New Seemapuri, and Rahul, 26, resident of Shalimar Garden – opposite New Seemapuri.

Kareem’s family said that they were counselled at the hospital mortuary regarding eye donation. They first proposed if Kareem’s eyes can be used for his son, Tabiz, 30, who has 10% vision. “We asked the doctors if Kareem’s eyes can be used for Tabiz but they denied. However, we have requested them to help us with the treatment of his eyes,” said Sabera, 27, Kareem’s daughter-in-law, confirming that they later agreed to the eye donation.

Chhote Khan’s family said that they donated his eyes so that his body could be used for a noble cause. His brother Mumtaz, 30, said, “Ab vo to raha nahin.. kam se kam uski ankhen kisi ke kaam aa jaengi (He is no more but at least his eyes can help someone else)”.

Rahul and Shah Alam’s families also agreed to eye donation after counselling by the doctors. “They are gone, but it’s a noble cause,” said Rahul’s brother, Anil.

A hospital official who asked not to be named said that families of all four victims were counselled and explained the procedure in detail so that they could take an informed decision. “All of them agreed after counselling,” he said.