*“We would like to contribute the entire cost of the operation,” says Prajut Menon of DSM Enggg, Prabhat Road.

Emotional outpourings like these and all-out support have emanated from Puneites for seven-month-old Owais Khan, who has suffered a head injury. His family has no money to pay for his treatment.

Clearly, there is no dearth of big-hearted people in a city known for its cultural and educational leanings. Be it Hindus, Christains or Muslims, they have all been calling up The Indian Express office since Saturday — when Owais Khan’s story was published — expressing support and extending monetary help for Owais’ treatment. In two days, as many as 38 citizens called up, almost all of them wanting to take care of the child. Among the citizens include two educationists, three doctors, one engineer, three social activists, four industrialists, a teacher, two managers, Rotary Club, the wife of a journalist and even the Pimpri-Chinchwad Congress.

The supporters hail from both Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad. Many of them do not want their names to be published, but just want to see Owais hale and hearty.

Owais suffered the head injury after he slipped from the hands of a relative and landed on the head. He needs immediate surgery since the “fracture is growing” and may cause damage to his brain, say doctors. His mother, Kausar Khan, says she has no money to treat Owais and her husband too has refused to help out.

The heartening news is that the PCMC-run Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital in Pimpri has also come forward to treat Owais free of cost. “Two nuero-surgeons, Umesh Phalke and Sanjay Vohra, have agreed to perform the surgery without charging a single paisa. We will leave no stone unturned for Owais. He will get the best treatment at our hospital,” says YCMH medical superintendent Anand Jagdale.

“It’s not about Hindus and Muslims. It’s about humane values. Is desh ke logon main insaniyat ki kami nahin hain,” says M A Razzaq of University of Pune, who was touched by the support pouring in from citizens for Owais’ treatment. S A Inamdar, executive member of Maharashtra Cosmopolitan and Education Society, says he is ready to help out in whatever way possible. “The Congress will pitch in its best,” says PCMC corporator Babu Nair.