Class VI student loses two fingers as school bench falls on hand

Mumbai: An 11-year-old student’s middle finger was cut off and his index finger left hanging dangerously after a portion of a wooden bench allegedly fell on his right hand in his classroom on Friday. The fingers have been surgically reattached, but it could not be immediately ascertained if he can use them normally as doctors advised a 72-hour wait.
Deepak Joshi, a Class VI student of Divine Providence High School, Ambawadi, Nalasopara (East), was in his class at around 7am.As he was about to sit on the bench he found it shaking. He informed the teacher who told him to adjust the bench and take his seat. As Deepak got up to adjust the bench, a portion of the wood came crashing on Deepak’s right hand, said his father Kedar.
Teachers rushed a profusely bleeding Deepak to Arth Hospital in Nalasopara, only to realize his middle finger was missing and his index finger was hanging around 1mm from the skin. The middle finger was found in the classroom by the sweeper who then rushed it to hospital. “As we got the finger within six hours, we were able to rejoin it, " said plastic surgeon Dr Mithilesh Mishra, who undertook re-plantation of both fingers. “Another 72 hours will determine whether the fingers will be functional or not,” said Dr Mishra.
He added the index finger was barely holding on to the skin. “Its condition was as bad as the middle finger,” he explained.
Kedar, who works with a private firm, said the school authorities and teachers visited Deepak in the hospital. While not blaming anyone for the mishap, he hoped the school will foot the medical expenses of Deepak’s surgery and hospital stay. However, school officials could not be contacted. A non-cognisable offence has been filed with the Tuling police.