Sudheendra (16), who was hit by a bullet said to have been fired by his father Rajesh Prabhu at two transport firm workers here on Tuesday evening, was declared brain dead on Wednesday.
Though his parents initially expressed their willingness to donate his heart, liver and kidney, they decided against it as the organ retrieval team from Bengaluru said that it can reach Mangaluru only on Thursday morning, according to an official.
Sudheendra was seriously injured after Prabhu, owner of Vaishnavi X’press Cargo Private Limited, opened fire from his .32 bore pistol at two of his employees and the bullets missed the target but hit him. This came after a heated argument over payment of wages.
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While two rounds were fired, one bullet hit Sudheendra in his head and entered deep inside through the top of his left eye. He was immediately rushed to the private hospital where he was on ventilator support in the intensive care unit.
Mangaluru South Police registered a case and took Prabhu into custody for questioning.
“As Prabhu, who had got stents placed in his heart recently, complained of chest pain, he was admitted to the same private hospital where his son was being treated,” Police Commissioner N. Shashi Kumar said.
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According to sources, the private hospital declared Sudheendra brain dead at around 11 a.m. following examination of the boy’s vital parameters by a panel of doctors.
A team of two zonal coordinators of Jeevarthakathe, a State Government body that deals with organ donation, of Wenlock Hospital rushed to the hospital and had discussion with the boys parents and other family members.
While the family members were willing to donate the boy’s organs, they were reportedly particular that the retrieval should be completed and the body handed over by Wednesday evening to conduct the last rites on Mahalaya Amavasya itself. “As the retrieval team said it can reach here only by Thursday morning, the family decided against organ donation,” an official said.