Hawker was alive when he entered hospital after Dhoble's raid

CCTV footage of VN Desai hospital, which was handed over to the state crime department on Tuesday for investigation, revealed that the deceased hawker Madan Jaiswal (45) - who died after being caught in ACP Vasant Dhoble's raid in Santacruz last Friday - entered the hospital on his own feet, accompanied by his friends.

The police had to reach V N Desai hospital on the day hawker Madan Jaiswal died

This contradicts the claims some of his family members and some politicians had earlier made, alleging that Dhoble had hit Jaiswal with a stick, after which he collapsed on the spot, only to be declared dead at the VN Desai hospital.

Doctors, however, put forward a possible explanation for the surprising revelation, attributing it to a medical condition known as ‘lucid interval.' A police source confirmed that the CCTV cameras surveying the main gate at VN Desai hospital revealed that Jaiswal was alive while entering the hospital. The footage contradicts claims made by Jaiswal's family that he was rushed to the hospital in an auto.

The footage reportedly shows him arriving at the hospital with two friends on a bike. According to the source, Jaiswal is seated in the middle, and is seen entering the hospital at 5.53 pm. After walking in with his friends, he complained to a doctor of pain in his chest and head. He was rushed to the ICCU where his pulse could not be traced. A CPR was then performed on Jaiswal after which he was declared dead.

A senior doctor at V N Desai hospital said on condition of anonymity, "Jaiswal was alive when he arrived at the hospital. However, he had collapsed once he came in. It is possible that a patient suffering from a brain haemorrhage can regain consciousness for a brief period before collapsing again. This period is called the ‘lucid interval' in medical terminology."

He added, "Jaiswal also regained consciousness for some time before collapsing again at the hospital. This is why the footage may be showing him entering the hospital alive." The cause of death in Jaiswal's case has been identified as a brain haemorrhage.

What is a lucid interval?
Lucid interval is a period of time in which a person with a head injury is conscious, after being knocked unconscious due to an impact. The interval lasts until he or she falls unconscious again. During the interval, blood builds up in the brain causing extreme pressure on the brain tissue. A lucid interval ends with this pressure becoming so great that the person loses consciousness again. They are at great risk of death if medical intervention is not quickly obtained.

The case
After the incident last Friday, family members and politicians like Priya Dutt and Kripashankar Singh had informed the media that Dhoble had emerged from his car during the raid and assaulted several hawkers with sticks, hitting Jaiswal as well, who collapsed on the spot. They also claimed that Jaiswal's son took him in an auto to VN Desai hospital where he was declared dead. Dhoble, however, claimed never to have alighted from his car.u00a0