CHENNAI: Lying at the hospital bed, 19-year-old Najju alias A Gayathri, survivor of Monday night’s waylaying attempt in Foreshore Estate, is not aware of the fate of her cousin Nandhini. She was riding pillion with Nandhini when a bike-borne man snatched their cash bag causing an accident in which Nandhini and another pedestrian died.
Najju, who suffered a fracture in her pelvic bone, is undergoing treatment at the female Orthopedic ward in the second floor of the Government Royapettah Hospital. “The pain is unbearable,” she said. Doctors have told the family that it would be a few weeks before Najju could walk.
Speaking to Express, Najju, a final year commerce student, said, “We went to withdraw Nandhini’s salary from an ATM in Mandaveli. It was around 10.30 pm.” After withdrawing the money, Najju had kept it in the handbag.
When they were returning home in a scooter, a biker attempted to snatch the bag from Najju. “We were taking the turn towards Foreshore Estate when the man tried to snatch the bag from me,” she recalled.
Though she initially resisted the attempt, she gave up fearing something bad might happen. “The man was wearing a helmet and was a little on the heavier side,” Najju said.
The moment he caught hold of the bag, he turned his vehicle and Nandhini too sped up, in an attempt to chase him down.
“Things happened too fast. Our bike hit a barricade and I remember my sister falling down hitting a stone. I didn’t know where I fell. It took me minutes before I regained consciousness,” she said.
As on Tuesday evening, Najju was not aware of the death of her cousin.