Puneet Rajkumar fans get inspiration from their favorite actor, queue up to sign for eye donation
BALLARI: The fan following of Puneet Rajkumar in Ballari district has even surprised the health officials in the last two days. The fans of the late actor are bee-lining up to donate their eyes and are looking for ways to sign pledging them. In the last two days several people have called on VIMS hospital and private doctors to know the procedure to donate their eyes.
Similar emotion was seen when Puneet's father Dr Rajkumjar had died and his eyes were donated. Between father and son duo six people are now going to have a sight and this has made the fans of the Rajkumar family pledge their eyes like their icons.
Both Ballari and Vijayanagara districts have a huge fan following of Puneet Rajkumar as he shot many films here. Puneet's simplicity and his nature of mingling with the people here have won their hearts long ago. The fans are yet to come over the loss of their favorite actor. In a bid to give tribute to Appu the pledging for eye donation has increased after the death of Puneet.
The district in-charge minister Anand Singh has already said that a statue of Puneet Rajkumar will be installed in Hosapete as per the wish of the actor's fans.
"Many fans are giving away their lives because they could not bear the pain of the demise of Puneet. A fan near Bengaluru committed suicide only because he wanted to donate his eyes like Puneet. The fans in Ballari and Vijayanagara are looking for options to donate their eyes the moment the doctors' team in Bengaluru took the eyes of their favorite actor and transplanted them to four people using modern technology. This has impacted the minds of several people who are now asking the administration and health officials to do the same," said a resident of Hosapete who has now pledged his eyes at VIMS Hospital.
Dr C Rajshekhar Reddy, Officer from Ballari District Blindness Control Programme said that many people are inquiring about donating their eyes in the last two days. "It's a simple process and one needs to fill up a form. The form will have personal details and in case the person who has pledged their eyes for donation dies the nearest family member will inform the medical team. We need to take the eyes from the donor within six hours of their death. As the rush is increasing the calls are being made to even the administration. We are planning to simplify the process of eye donation," he added.