Post by Wes on Jan 19, 2006 12:05:41 GMT 8
SHE harboured dreams of going to university to become the first graduate in her family.
But Kuala Lumpur student R Jayalakshmi, 18, lies in hospital on life support today, heavily sedated after an operation on a fractured pelvic bone.
The New Straits Times reported that her distraught family has been told that she may have to use a wheelchair.
The plucky teen (above) was involved in a motorcycle accident that occurred on Sunday while she was giving chase to two snatch thieves.
One of the thieves died in the collision between Jayalakshmi's bike and the getaway vehicle.
Petaling Jaya Acting OCPD Abdul Rahman Ibrahim said that the incident happened while Jayalakshmi was riding home from tuition class in Taman Sungai Buloh with her brother, Kavieratnam, 11.
Bernama reported that two men on a motorcycle approached them and the pillion rider snatched her handbag from the basket on her motorcycle.
Jayalakshmi sped after the snatch-thieves for 2km before the two motorcycles collided.
She broke her pelvis. One of the two fleeing snatch thieves died instantly from serious head injuries.
His pillion was taken to hospital with several broken bones. Kavieratnam is recovering from cuts and bruises.
Jayalakshmi has been awarded a letter of commendation from the Selangor police and the Malaysian Crime Prevention Foundation (Selangor) for her bravery.
Yesterday, Jayalakshmi's father, Mr K Rajaratnam, 49, told the New Straits Times that his daughter's courage could be attributed to her national service stint at the Kuala Berang National Service Training Programme Camp last year.
He said that this had taught her self-reliance and developed her spirit.
'My daughter is not big in size,' he told reporters at the Selayang Hospital where Jayalakshmi's doctors said they expect her to recover.
'She has not taken any lessons in martial arts, and in fact, she is the quietest person in our house.
'I was shocked when told that my daughter had turned a heroine. It's all like a dream, but that is what happened.'
He said that Jayalakshmi wanted to study biotechnology in university and that he was supposed to take her to an education fair on the day of the incident.
Kavieratnam said he was shocked when his sister chased the thieves.
'All I could do was to hang on,' he said of the scary chase. 'The next thing I knew I had passed out.'
Jayalakshmi's courage impressed Selangor Police Chief Yahaya Udin.
'Usually the police chase after criminals but this time the victim did this although she must have been aware of the danger involved,' he told reporters while visiting the girl in the hospital yesterday.
But Kuala Lumpur student R Jayalakshmi, 18, lies in hospital on life support today, heavily sedated after an operation on a fractured pelvic bone.
The New Straits Times reported that her distraught family has been told that she may have to use a wheelchair.
The plucky teen (above) was involved in a motorcycle accident that occurred on Sunday while she was giving chase to two snatch thieves.
One of the thieves died in the collision between Jayalakshmi's bike and the getaway vehicle.
Petaling Jaya Acting OCPD Abdul Rahman Ibrahim said that the incident happened while Jayalakshmi was riding home from tuition class in Taman Sungai Buloh with her brother, Kavieratnam, 11.
Bernama reported that two men on a motorcycle approached them and the pillion rider snatched her handbag from the basket on her motorcycle.
Jayalakshmi sped after the snatch-thieves for 2km before the two motorcycles collided.
She broke her pelvis. One of the two fleeing snatch thieves died instantly from serious head injuries.
His pillion was taken to hospital with several broken bones. Kavieratnam is recovering from cuts and bruises.
Jayalakshmi has been awarded a letter of commendation from the Selangor police and the Malaysian Crime Prevention Foundation (Selangor) for her bravery.
Yesterday, Jayalakshmi's father, Mr K Rajaratnam, 49, told the New Straits Times that his daughter's courage could be attributed to her national service stint at the Kuala Berang National Service Training Programme Camp last year.
He said that this had taught her self-reliance and developed her spirit.
'My daughter is not big in size,' he told reporters at the Selayang Hospital where Jayalakshmi's doctors said they expect her to recover.
'She has not taken any lessons in martial arts, and in fact, she is the quietest person in our house.
'I was shocked when told that my daughter had turned a heroine. It's all like a dream, but that is what happened.'
He said that Jayalakshmi wanted to study biotechnology in university and that he was supposed to take her to an education fair on the day of the incident.
Kavieratnam said he was shocked when his sister chased the thieves.
'All I could do was to hang on,' he said of the scary chase. 'The next thing I knew I had passed out.'
Jayalakshmi's courage impressed Selangor Police Chief Yahaya Udin.
'Usually the police chase after criminals but this time the victim did this although she must have been aware of the danger involved,' he told reporters while visiting the girl in the hospital yesterday.
