Mumbai 7/11 blast victim dies after staying in coma for 9 years

Parag Sawant sustained severe head injuries after a bomb exploded in a Virar-bound train. He breathed his last on Tuesday at PD Hinduja Hospital.

After being in a coma and semi-conscious state for the last nine years, Mumbai’s 7/11 blast victim Parag Sawant died in a hospital on Tuesday.

Sawant, 36, was admitted to the P D Hinduja Hospital on July 12, 2006, with severe head injuries. He is survived by wife Priti and a daughter, who was born when he was in a vegetative state.

“He was in deep coma for about two years and then his condition gradually improved into a semi-conscious state where he would understand simple commands,” Dr B K Misra, consultant neurosurgeon at P D Hinduja Hospital said in a statement.

“He underwent multiple operations for brain treatment and then was on supportive care and physiotherapy for few years. At 5.30 am, the staff nurse checked Parag and his condition was stable. Later, at 6 am his saturation levels dropped and he was put on oxygen to stabilise his breathing condition,” he said.

Sawant had a sudden respiratory arrest for which the CPR team tried to conduct all resuscitation measures. “In spite of all resuscitation measures, Parag could not be revived and was declared dead at 6.54 am today. He died because of cardio respiratory arrest and most likely possibility of immediate deterioration could be pulmonary embolism,” Misra said.

Sawant, who was in a Churchgate-Virar train when a bomb went off near Mira Road on July 11, 2006, was first admitted to the BhaktivedantaHospital at Mira Road and later shifted to HindujaHospital, where he spent two years in a comatose condition.

Nearly 188 people were killed and 817 others injured in the 7/11 Mumbai serial train blasts.