Punish driver, demand victims’ kin

Mixed emotions prevailed at Ward number 12 of Nanavati hospital on Friday evening. While an aggrieved son decried the injustice done to his innocent mother, a neighbor expressed anger at the culprit, and a grievously injured victim tried to voice her worry for her teenaged children. Friends and relatives say that only prayers have saved the women.

The condition of the two victims of the drink driving accident in Borivali on Thursday night — Carol Gibson, 41, and Celiene D’souza, 45, — both housewives residing at Ferry apartments in the IC colony area of Borivli (West), is said to be stable, D’souza has been put on ventilator, and Gibson is also admitted to the intensive care unit.

“I lost consciousness and cannot remember what happened. All I know is that when I came back to my senses, my head was bleeding profusely. My children were alone at home, I knew they must be worried and all I could think of was informing them that I was fine,” said a severely bruised Gibson.

Gibson sustained eight stitches on her head and several abrasions all over her body, particularly her right hand. She lives with two children — a 16-year-old son and a 14-year-old daughter — at IC Colony. Her husband works abroad and will be arriving in the city on Saturday, she said.

“I do not what pleasure the man [Subodh Mahajan, the driver] got out of driving in a drunken condition and doing what he has to my mother. I have been told that he was released on bail. I do not know who he is and why he did this, but he should be punished,” said Navin, D’souza’s 30-year-old son. Her elder son Roshan lives with his wife in Dubai. The couple arrived in the city late on Friday night. D’souza is on ventilator, and has been kept under observation for 48 hours. Having sustained fractures on her ribs and legs and abrasions on her head, she is said to be out of danger.

Meanwhile, Myra Lawrence, who resides in the same building as the victims, said the accused was so inebriated that he did not even have the headlights of his car on. “Who gives these people to drive so irresponsibly? While he is hale and hearty, these women are struggling to stay conscious. Only our prayers have saved them.”