Kolkata: Sitting on a chair outside her house in Netaji Nagar, opposite EM Bypass, Noorjahan continually lamented, shouting, “I can never forgive myself.” She continued to blame herself for a basic safety protocol that she did not follow on Tuesday and which cost the life of her 11-year-old son: a helmet.
Ayush Paik, a Class IV student, was returning from school on a scooter with his mother and two-year-old cousin. He died after suffering fatal injuries when his body collided with one of two racing buses passing through Salt Lake on Tuesday morning. The three two-wheeler drivers were thrown onto the road as the mother tried to negotiate an uneven section. While the mother, Noorjahan, wore a helmet, the other two did not.
“My son stopped wearing the helmet he was wearing and complained of discomfort when he strapped it on. His father was supposed to receive a new helmet on Wednesday. That’s why he was without a helmet on Tuesday . I wish I had been more careful. I will never forgive myself for this mistake,” cried Noorjahan (35) as her sister tried to console her.
Noorjahan said she always insisted that Ayush wear the helmet and ignored his complaints of discomfort until recently. “It was an old helmet that was worn out and I realized my son no longer had one. So I asked my husband to replace it. He promised to buy a new one on Wednesday. But the accident happened just before. I can never forgive myself for a bad decision. I pray that my son forgives me,” she lamented.
Ayush was a student of Vaishno Devi Academy high school in Kestopur. His older brother (15 years old) also studies in the same school and was attending there when Tuesday’s accident occurred.
According to Noorjahan, Ayush loved mathematics and had a keen interest in taekwondo. “He quickly reached the brown belt and even won a championship recently. As parents, we always tried to raise him in the best way possible despite our financial problems. One small mistake and our family was broken,” Noorjahan said.
Two-year-old Afroza Khatun, who was with Noorjahan at the time of the accident, suffered bruises on her head and arms. But what saved her from a fatal injury was the fact that she was attached to Noorjahan with a harness strap. When Noorjahan lost her balance and fell on the left side of the road, she was able to protect Afroza but could not save Ayush, who fell on the other side. CCTV footage showed Ayush’s spine slammed into the footboard of the bus before he collapsed on the road. He had died of internal bleeding after a rib broke and his liver ruptured.
“It was a tragic accident and I don’t know when our family will be able to recover from it. I am grateful to my sister for saving my child, but I don’t have the words to console her because she lost her son,” said Md Hossain, Noorjahan’s brother.