Mumbai: Temple visit turns tragic for newlyweds

Vaibhav Dadas and Prajakta Kharat-Dhadas on their wedding day

A trip to visit a temple by a newlywed couple from Vikhroli turned tragic after the family met with an accident while returning on Monday. The bride has been admitted to Fortis Hospital in critical condition while her mother-in-law lost her life. The groom, who is hospitalised but out of danger, is struggling to meet medical expenses.

Prajakta Kharat-Dadas, 24, and Vaibhav Dadas, 30, who recently tied the knot, were on a trip to Satara with Vaibav's parents and uncle. Dadas, an engineer at Deloitte, said the accident occurred around 10 am on July 3. "We had just got married and had gone to visit a temple in Satara. However, while heading back, our car skidded off the road, breaching the barricade and going off the ghat section. All I can remember after that is I was in hospital," he said.

The mangled remains of the car

Vaibhav said that his uncle and father were seated in the front and had worn seat belts, which saved their lives. "My mother, wife, and I were seated at the back. I have a habit of gripping the handle above the door, which is probably what saved me. But, because the car door broke, my mother Ujwala was thrown out and was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. While Prajakta is currently fighting for her life at Fortis Hospital," he said. Meanwhile, Vaibhav and his father who sustained multiple bruises all over their bodies have been advised bed rest.

The hospital's statement revealed the severity of Prajakta's injuries. "...she had slipped into a coma prior to her transfer from another hospital. Upon assessment at Fortis Hospital, Mulund, she was diagnosed with a severe head injury, chest trauma, blood accumulation in the chest and abdomen, as well as lacerations of the spleen and liver. A decompression surgery was performed to address swelling in the posterior cranial fossa."

Prajakta's current condition is stable but she is sedated. She is scheduled to undergo a CT scan to assess her brain health, which will determine the subsequent steps in her treatment. "Recovery is expected to be a lengthy process, involving several weeks in the hospital followed by rehabilitation therapy upon discharge," read the statement.

Her sister, Deepali Kharat said, "We need around Rs 24 lakh for her treatment. We are relying on crowdfunding for this and have urged all our family members to share a help message on social media."

Rs 24L
The money needed for Prajakta' s treatment