Aarti Gupta in front of her husband’s picture. (Amit Datta)

When Nepal Gupta, 72, suffered a stroke and fell down on November 26, his wife Aarti rushed him to a nursing home near their Kestopur home. A few hours later, she shifted him to AMRI Dhakuria at the other end of the city because she wanted him to receive the best possible care. On Tuesday, 60-year-old Aarti spoke to Metro about how “fate” snatched her husband from her.

I was happy when my husband underwent an operation 72 hours after he had the stroke and doctors said it was successful. He was conscious and was expected to be fine soon.

I had spent every night from November 26 to last Friday in the hospital. On Thursday, my brother was with me. We were about to go to sleep in the reception when I smelt smoke. I told my brother that maybe a wire was on fire. He did not pay much heed to my words and soon we were both asleep in our chairs.

The next thing I remember is my brother shaking me awake and leading me out of the building. Within 15 minutes, the lights went out and I could hear glass shattering.

We figured out that the hospital was on fire and called up relatives to alert them. Amid the chaos, I saw the doctor treating my husband but he was too busy to say anything.

My husband was only two floors above me all the time but there was no way I could have reached him. With his oxygen mask and saline tubes, he, at his age, could not have come down even if he had tried.

On the 26th morning, he had four biscuits and tea before he suffered the stroke. Till Thursday, he spoke to me about it. I would not be able to give him tea ever again. My daughters and grandsons are visiting me now but they will leave soon and I will be alone.

(As told to Jhinuk Mazumdar)