All concerned about Hema’s health, no one cared about child

Jaipur: Late on Thursday night, when actor-politician Hema Malini's speeding Mercedes crashed into an Alto on the highway in Rajasthan, two-year-old Chinni died instantly. At a hospital in Jaipur, her mother keeps asking: "Where is Chinni?" No one has the heart to tell her the truth.

Chinni's father cried through the night after a relative broke the news to him.

Others in the family say they are shocked that neither the actor nor her aides asked about those injured because of her speeding car. Chinni's six-year-old brother has fractures in both arms and both legs.

The mother's uncle, who did not wish to be identified, told IANS: "We have told the father, Hanuman Khandelwal, of the death of the child in the accident. He was shocked and has been crying since night. We try to console him but couldn't. But we have not told the mother as she is still in a bad condition ."

"Chinni kahaan hai (where is Chinni)?" is all that her mother Shikha asks. "We only tell her that she is fine and with us. We do not have the guts to tell her about the death as we are afraid how she will react. Chinni was the most lovable daughter in the family," the relative said.

The Mercedes car driven by Hema Malini's driver Mahesh Thakur smashed into the family's Alto car from the opposite direction. The 66-year-old actor and BJP lawmaker was injured in the face, especially her forehead. She was taken to a private hospital, where doctors performed corrective surgery. The other family was taken to a government hospital in Jaipur.

"We know she (Hema Malini) was also hurt but at least she could have asked how we were... (She could have) asked the doctors to give (the family) proper treatment," said a relative of Chinni.

Doctors at the SMS Hospital said the family is doing "well".

Rajasthan Medical and Health Minister Rajendra Rathore visited them on Thursday night and directed the hospital to provide free treatment. Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje also visited the accident victims.

Medical bulletin on Hema Malini says that she sustained a nasal fracture and injuries on para-nasal points. She's in the ICU, but stable now, a Fortis hospital doctor, said.

The driver wasn't injured because the airbags in the Mercedes were deployed, but Hema Malini, who was sitting in the back seat, hit the LCD TV screen on the back rest of the front seat, the police said.

The Fortis report also said that Hema Malini underwent surgery between midnight and 2 am on Friday. "She's fully conscious and is recovering fast, the doctor said. Hema Malini's driver has been arrested.

In a statement, she expressed "deep sorrow over the accident" and that she is "deeply pained by the death of an innocent child".