Ashish Rajput died trying to save his father Sanjay during Harda Blast, biography, age and family
The loss of life in the Harda fireworks factory explosion is profoundly tragic, with each casualty leaving a deep impact. However, one death stands out as particularly heartbreaking.
A 10-year-old boy, who sustained injuries while heroically attempting to guide his disabled father to safety in his wheelchair, passed away at AIIMS-Bhopal on Friday evening, bringing the toll to 13.
Who is Ashish Rajput boy who died trying to save his father Sanjay during the Harda Blast, biography, age and family
Ashish and his father Sanjay Rajput were struck by flying debris from the explosions as they sought refuge during the incident on Tuesday. Sanjay remains hospitalized for treatment.
Sanjay, unable to use his legs, operated a paan shop near the firecracker factory. “His wife and daughter were employed at the factory. Ashish was getting ready for school when the blasts occurred.
Ashish Rajput, a 9-year-old boy, was in the midst of preparing for school when he courageously rushed to protect his father from the explosion.
Despite his tender age, he urgently pushed his father's wheelchair to safety while his mother & sister managed to escape the initial… pic.twitter.com/WluguDW4Fh
— Āryā_Anvikṣā 🪷 (@Arya_Anviksha_) February 11, 2024
“While his mother and sister managed to escape, Ashish rushed to rescue his father. With determination, he pushed the wheelchair with his small hands, but they were both struck,” recounted Jitendra Saini, their neighbor in Harda’s Bairagarh village.
Both father and son were transported by ambulance to Narmadpuram, 100km away from Harda. However, Ashish’s condition worsened on Thursday, prompting his transfer to AIIMS-Bhopal, located 80km from Narmadpuram. Tragically, the young boy succumbed to his injuries on Friday.
After Ashish’s demise, his father Sanjay Rajput came forward and reveals to the media that when Ashish was just one month old, an accident had put him on the bed.
He further stated that “At the age of two months, he had held my finger for the first time, and then I felt like I had found support. I saw this child sitting in a wheelchair from the age when he should have been crawling on his knees.
Ashish Rajput Case
9-year-old kid sacrificed his life to save trapped father in Harda's factory blast, Om Shanti Ashish, brave boy succumbed to injuries.
Ashish and his father Sanjay Rajput were hit by chunks of concrete blasted out by the explosions while trying pic.twitter.com/So4UwtIgzh
— sumit (@sumityou40) February 11, 2024
“He grew up during very difficult times. He became my support during the age when kids usually play and jump around. He would run around and fetch things for me. As he grew up, he started helping me with coming to and from the shop and sitting.”
Sanjay Rajput describes his son as his hope as he stated “He was my hope… Seeing him, I felt that someday everything would be fine. His fingers that held my hand were gradually becoming stronger, but suddenly, God snatched him away from me.
“Now, whom will I live with?” While talking about Ashish, Sanjay Rajput choked up to the point where he couldn’t speak anymore, and silence overtook the atmosphere.
The sorrow of the family increased even more when Ashish’s breath stopped on his birthday, February 9th. Ashish, born in 2014, had turned ten years old just the day before.
Sanjay feels even more helpless because due to extremely bad financial conditions, he had sent his elder son Ayush to stay with his sister. He was the one who supported them, whereas Ashish had been his support from the time he gained consciousness.
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