Jamshedpur, April 22: A group of youths were found collecting subscriptions from homes in Baridih Bustee from Friday. But unlike donations for pujas or festivals, they were raising funds for the treatment of a poor boy who may lose one of his legs without proper treatment.

Eight-year-old Pratap Pall (in picture) is under treatment in the MGM Medical College and Hospital for a bruise on his leg that has gone septic. “My son is looking normal but his leg may be amputated by next week. We are poor and cannot afford better treatment,” said Radha Pall, the boy’s mother.

The boy, sitting on the hospital bed, said: “I want to get well at the earliest. Once I return home, everything will be alright. I will play cricket in the day and hide-and-seek in the evening with my friends and brother.”

Pratap, a Class II student of Baridih Primary School, was injured while playing on school premises in December.

After two months, he developed a septic. “The injury was caused by a stone that hit Pratap’s leg. After a few days, he felt acute pain. We had no option but to take him to a local surgeon, Dr Sidhu, who operated upon the wound in January,” Rajan Pall, Pratap’s father.

Rajan paid Rs 9,000 to the surgeon at the time of the operation, but failed to follow an important directive.

“Dr Sidhu suggested we take the boy to an orthopaedic, but due to our weak financial condition we neglected his advice. After two months, we found the leg had gone septic,” said Pall, who works under a contract firm.

Dr G.S. Baraik, head of the orthopaedic department at the hospital, said: “The condition of the boy’s leg is very bad. Most of the leg’s bone has become rotten. I will try to save the leg, but cannot guarantee recovery.”