BERHAMPUR: A 1.5 feet crowbar that pierced the body of a 16-year-old boy, was successfully removed after a surgery lasting over one hour at MKCG Medical College and Hospital (MCH) here on Sunday. A team of doctors led by assistant Professor Dr I Gopal performed the surgery on Shakti Pataguru of Talasubranapur village within Kotgarh police limits in Kandhamal district. The crowbar had pierced the boy’s body near the pelvis and was stuck in his abdomen.
The incident took place on Saturday. Sources said Shakti was engaged by a contractor in the renovation of the government upper primary school in Talasubranapur village. The boy was removing damaged asbestos sheets from the roof when he accidentally slipped and fell on the crowbar.
The iron tool pierced his torso and got stuck in the body. The contractor and the school authorities were absent when the incident took place.
On being informed, the boy’s father Sanatan Pataguru reached the spot and rushed him to Baliguda hospital. As Shakti’s condition was critical and the crowbar was attached to his body, the doctors referred him to MKCG MCH at Berhampur.
Dr Gopal of the Surgery department assisted by Dr SP Jena, Dr JK Panigrhay, Dr BP Mohapatra and Dr Alok Das spent more than an hour to successfully remove the crowbar from the boy’s torso.
“The patient is in ICU and has been extubated. His vitals are stable and he is doing well. We will take up definitive surgery once he recovers completely,” informed Dr Gopal.
The identity of the contractor who had illegally engaged the minor or the authorities executing the school renovation work is yet to be ascertained. Kotgarh police has registered a case and launched an investigation into the incident.