Journalist Loses Finger in Tragic ‘Ring Avulsion’ Accident, Raises Public Safety Concerns in Kozhikode

Kozhikode: In a harrowing incident that has brought the serious condition known as ‘ring avulsion’ into public discourse, journalist Rakhi Raz tragically lost her ring finger in an accident while disembarking from a private bus in Kozhikode. The incident occurred just before Onam, leading to widespread discussions about public safety and the design of private transport vehicles.

The unfortunate event unfolded as Rakhi Raz was returning to Kozhikode from Vadakara after work. As she was stepping off a private bus near the KSRTC stand on Mavoor Road, her ring caught on a sharp metal plate on the side of the bus door. The force with which her hand was pulled caused the severe injury. Initially, she felt only a slight pain, but to her horror, she discovered only the bone remaining where her finger should have been. As another passenger was behind her, the bus had not yet departed.

In a state of shock, muttering “Oh… my finger is severed,” Rakhi rushed back into the bus, searching for her lost digit. It was then that she, other passengers, and the driver noticed blood splattered inside the bus. Due to the severity of the injury, her senses were numbed, and she only experienced a mild stinging sensation. The severed finger was not on the ground; instead, it, along with the ring, was impaled on a sharp, protruding part of the bus body where the ring had snagged. The tendon of her finger was severely stretched and torn, hanging from her hand at more than twice its original length.

Gathering an inexplicable courage, Rakhi managed to retrieve her finger and the ring, imploring the bus crew to take her to a hospital immediately. They drove a short distance further, stopping at the National Hospital in Kozhikode. Rakhi ran into the hospital, requesting a wheelchair and reporting dizziness. She was quickly taken to the casualty ward, given water, and injections for pain relief. However, the hospital, lacking the facilities for such a complex case, advised her to go to another medical institution. During this ordeal, a few kind-hearted Kozhikode residents, including two women in hijabs, accompanied her and offered support. She specifically thanked Dr. Shanid P. K., Dr. Anju P. V., Sister Chinju, and ambulance driver Biju from National Hospital for their initial care.

Rakhi first informed her younger brother Rahul, who was in Thiruvananthapuram and would take time to arrive. Next, she contacted Gopalan, an official from Vanitha magazine, where she works. Within minutes, the Personal and Administration team from Malayala Manorama Publications (MMP), her company, rushed to her aid. An ambulance then transferred her to Baby Memorial Hospital, which has plastic surgery facilities. The National Hospital team had thoughtfully cleaned and ice-packed her severed finger as per her request. Rakhi extended her gratitude to her CEO Sajeev Sir, Editor-in-Charge Sindhu Vijayakumar Madam, Bivin Sir, Rajesh Sir, Prinson from MMP’s P&A division, and Gopalan C from the marketing department, along with Rahul’s friends in Kozhikode.

At Baby Memorial Hospital, plastic surgeon Dr. Krishnakumar K. S. informed her that while her finger had been brought in properly, it could not be reattached. The nature of the injury – a ‘ring avulsion’ – meant it was torn rather than cleanly cut, rendering reattachment impossible as the internal structures were too damaged. Only cleanly severed limbs can typically be reattached successfully. Dr. Krishnakumar also explained the term ‘Ring Avulsion’ to her.

A glimmer of hope led her to recall Dr. R. Jayakumar of Ernakulam Specialist Hospital, whom she had contacted years ago for articles. She called him, and he responded gently, saying, “Rakhi, your situation is heartbreaking. If you don’t feel sad in this moment, you’re not human… but it is possible to accept what has happened with composure. The only treatment available for you is to amputate the remaining damaged part of your finger. Even though you have lost your finger, you can move forward in life. You will gain the ability to do everything you do now, even without this finger.” Dr. Jayakumar’s words provided immense strength to Rakhi, and after considering other options, she understood that amputation was the most suitable decision.

She requested to be transferred to Specialist Hospital, expressing her desire to be with her loved ones. Manorama management readily agreed to provide all necessary support. At 9:30 PM, she left Baby Memorial Hospital in a fully equipped ICU ambulance, accompanied by a nurse. She expressed deep gratitude to Manorama for covering the significant cost of the ambulance, as the journey until 2:30 AM to Specialist Hospital was incredibly difficult, marked by intense pain, dizziness, and nausea.

During this arduous journey, Sister Sinobia, an ICU ambulance nurse specially trained in critical care, provided constant support, administering pain relief and other injections, monitoring her blood pressure, and offering comforting words. The two ambulance drivers, Abishnav and Majeed, also assisted by stopping multiple times, adjusting her stretcher, and getting her juice. Her brother and his wife from Aluva also accompanied the ambulance.

At Specialist Hospital, Dr. Jayakumar had already provided the necessary instructions for her care. Rakhi even noticed the kind eyes of Dr. Anjali Ravikumar, the plastic surgeon who introduced herself to her. Despite her pain, Rakhi complimented Dr. Anjali’s eyes. The finger she had carried with her, cold and lifeless, was then finally laid to rest. The next morning, senior plastic surgeon Dr. Senthil Kumar and Dr. Jayakumar visited her. Dr. Senthil explained her condition and treatment options more clearly in his Tamil-accented Malayalam.

The amputation surgery, which began at 2:30 PM on August 22nd, concluded, and she returned to her room at 10:30 PM. Rakhi fondly remembers every staff member at Specialist Hospital who treated her with kindness.

From the moment she arrived at Specialist, her brother Rahul and his wife Shailaja were by her side. Rakhi considers Shailaja like her eldest daughter, a feeling solidified by the immense care and support she received. She always knew her brother would support her through any fall. They had tried their best to hide the true extent of the injury from their parents, but her parents sensed something was seriously wrong. When told after her discharge, they listened with composure. Her daughters, Anamika and Almitra, also accepted the news with maturity. Since returning home and gaining the strength to write these words, her younger daughter, Almitra, has taken on the role of her primary caretaker. Anamika, studying in Bengaluru, supported her with words of strength. Her parents, as always, remain her pillars of support.

Rakhi Raz is now embarking on a new life, buoyed by the love and support from her family, relatives, superiors, colleagues, and friends. She anticipates challenges, such as learning to type quickly on a computer again and the difficulty of holding small objects due to the absence of her ring finger. Her embrace, she notes, will now have a “gap.” Despite these challenges, she hopes to move forward with greater strength than before.

Rakhi also shared crucial warnings for the public:

* Private bus designs often pose various accident risks, including the potential for ring avulsion. She noted that others have experienced similar incidents.
* She herself had a similar experience in a private bus in Kochi once, where her thin gold ring broke, saving her finger. At the time, she didn’t realize that without the ring breaking, her finger could have been severed. She was unaware of ‘ring avulsion’ until it happened to her. This time, she was wearing a relatively heavy silver ring.
* Ring avulsion is a severe injury where nerves, blood vessels, tendons, and even bones are damaged when a ring is forcibly pulled off by an external object, a fall, or a strong movement, sometimes leading to complete amputation. The complexity of treatment depends on the severity of the injury.
* The most effective prevention is to remove rings when engaging in activities where they might get caught or in workplaces involving machinery.

Rakhi emphasized that her accident was not due to her fault (as many people regularly wear rings) but occurred in a seemingly natural and harmless situation. She attributes the cause to the body design and lack of maintenance in some private buses. A small crack in the seal between two metal parts created the gap that led to her finger loss, as visible in photographs. Doctors have confirmed that other individuals have also sought treatment after similar accidents involving private buses. As safety improvements and meticulous maintenance are unlikely to happen in such buses, she urged everyone to be cautious, wear thinner rings, or avoid wearing them in risky situations.