K. Pounraj, the teenager from Dharmapuri district, whose hand was set on fire by three men for allegedly stealing a mobile phone, lost a finger due to gangrene, at Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital.
“The index finger was completely gangrenous. He was also developing a fever due to the infection and we had to operate. We are trying our best to save the other fingers,” Nirmala Ponnambalam, Head of the Burns and Plastic Surgery Department, said.
Pounraj, who has mental retardation, was earlier examined by a vascular surgeon, who found that the blood vessels beyond his wrist did not respond.
Due to fluid build-up in the hand, the nerves and arteries were being compressed and doctors had to perform an escharatomy – an incision through the scarred tissue to facilitate circulation. However, Pounraj’s palm can be saved, Dr. Nirmala said.
“If we save the palm, he will be able to use his hand to a certain extent. After that, reconstruction possibilities can be considered,” she said.
His left hand too had a few minor burns and is being treated. Pounraj’s father Krishnan, a 63-year-old daily wage labourer who was at his bedside, said he was doing well.
Father’s woe
“He had only taken one of the men’s mobile phones to listen to music. He was handing it back to them, but they took the hand with which they said he had stolen it and decided to burn it,” he said. The men tied him to a tree, doused his hand with petrol and set it on fire.
