Four-year-old Vivek does not know he has lost his father. He eats peacefully in a small office room in Ghatkopar's Rajawadi hospital.
Just beyond the room is a large hall full of men and women injured in Monday's blast in a BEST bus on the Lal Bahadur Shastri marg in Ghatkopar. The blast left four dead and over 30 injured. Among the injured is Vivek's grandmother, Gangabai. Doctors describe her condition as critical.
Vivek's uncle requests this reporter not to ask the little boy anything about his father. He may not be able to take it just yet. He has been kept in this small room because doctors don't want him to be exposed to the misery of the injured outside.
Vivek's mother, who delivered a baby girl just 10 days back, is in shock and unable to be by his side.
Vivek was very close to his father, Vilas Vishnu Mahenkar, 25.
So, when Vilas decided to visit Ahmadnagar, he thought he will take his son and mother along.
On Monday they took an auto from Parsiwadi to go to Sarvodaya bus stand. From there they were to take a bus to Ahmadnagar.
As usual, the Lal Bahadur Shastri marg was choc-a-block with traffic. There was a bus right in front of their auto forcing them to move very slowly.
Just as they approached the Ghatkopar telephone exchange, there was a huge blast -- it was a deafening sound. Vivek's grandmother does not remember what happened after that.
If she had not lost consciousness, she would have seen how the rear of the bus -- route no 340 -- they were following just blew open.
The auto the Mahenkars were travelling in was completely destroyed in the blast. Vivek's father died on the spot. Vivek, miraculously, suffered just minor injuries.
The deeper psychological scars he may have suffered won't show just now. For now, goodies his uncle has brought him keep Vivek happily distracted.
Recent bomb blasts in Mumbai:
Ghatkopar blast | Vile Parle blast | Mulund blast
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