Udita Goswami now has a new cause. The actress is keen to highlight the dangers senior citizens face in the city by speeding bikers and motorists.
On Tuesday morning, her 63-year-old father Udyan Giri Goswami was knocked down by two racing bikers in one of the by-lanes of Shastri Nagar, Lokhandwala, during his walk. Unconscious and in a pool of blood, three passer-bys rushed him in an auto to the Kokilaben Ambani Hospital.
It was only after he had regained his senses and was in a position to talk that the hospital authorities asked him for a telephone number to inform his kin.
Broken knee
Goswami Sr is in a state of shock and has vowed never to step out for a walk again. Apart from several bruises, his knee bone was broken and visible. He now has to undergo a knee replacement surgery.
Says Udita, "Every morning dad leaves for his walk by 6 am. In fact, he had left a bit early around 5.30 am as there is a marathon being organised at Lokhandwala and he wanted to collect the entry form for the senior citizens walk. We had no clue what was happening till we got a call from the hospital."
At the hospital, the actress was in for a huge shock. "I could see my dad's knee bone jutting out. It was scary."
According to her father, the bikers were racing with each other up and down the road. After a while they drove too close to him and one of them knocked him down. As they were in top speed, he was flung across the road.
Earlier incident
This is also not the first time that her dad has been a victim. Over a year ago, a car that was being driven by a schoolboy knocked him down. Apparently, the youngster was brushing up his driving skills with his chauffeur as a passenger on the way to school.
He had received six stitches then. Since the boy was underage and his family members apologised profusely, Udita and her folks did not press charges. However, this time an FIR has been filed at the Versova police station.
Udita is hellbent on nabbing the culprits. "I have managed to get clues from the passers-by. I want the cops to nab the bikers. They are doing it for thrills, but they don't realise the trauma they cause to their victims."