TUSHAR’S BLOG

  Standing at the makeshift information counter at Sion Hospital, Somnath Julka was not looking for any injured relatives. He was simply lending a hand—monetarily and otherwise. Standing guard all night, Julka not only helped people look for their kin but also gave out Rs 2.75 lakh by way of cash and medicines to the needy.
“Many people rushed here to see their relatives as soon as they got the news on Tuesday, but they did not have enough cash on them,’’ said an assistant doctor at Sion Hospital. “So Julka paid for several medical bills as also many crucial and expensive injections that had to be administered to most patients who complained of hearing problems.’’
He had no motive for the good deed, only a simple explanation. “I have no more duties to perform in life, so I’ve taken up new ones,’’ said Julka who lives across the road and recently married off his only daughter. The transport company he runs has a dozen branches across the country and Julka, in a lighter vein, said that Tuesday’s tragedy had put some of his wealth to good use.
By evening, Julka had arranged for six ambulances for people who had to transport bodies to Vasai and Virar. And handing over tips of Rs 500 to hospital group D employees, Julka shook hands with them and commended them for a job well done. “At the end of the day, if I can save even one life, I can die in peace,’’ he said. Apart from the financial help, Julka also helped relatives scan the lists of patients and locate their wards. He also accompanied some women who had to identify their husbands’ bodies in the morgue. Each time people asked him who he was, he simply answered, “A human being.’’