Girl paralysed after scolding during reality show!

Bangalore/Kolkata, June 28 (IANS) Traumatised over being scolded by a judge during a reality dance competition in Kolkata, 16-year-old Shinjini Sengupta suffered a paralytic attack and has been admitted to the state-run National Institute of Mental Health and Sciences (Nimahans) here Saturday for treating her medical condition.

"Shinjini is in the neurology special ward under observation. We have conducted some tests and are diagnosing her condition for deciding the course of treatment. She was brought here from Kolkata by her parents," a doctor at Nimhans told IANS.

"The hospital's medical superintendent will issue a medical bulletin on Shinjini Sunday. All I can say is we are attending to her. We are doing our best to study the case and will treat her accordingly," the doctor added, requesting anonymity.

As Shinjini is weak and needs constant medical aid, visitors have not been allowed to meet her. Her mother Sibani has been allowed to sit at her bedside to interact with the doctors and help the nurses in taking care of her.

Shinjini Sengupta, 16, a class XI student of a well-known city school, participated in the popular dance reality show "Dhoom Macha Le Dhoom" where she was reportedly scolded by the judges during a shooting May 19. After that, the girl slipped into a state of serious depression and lost her ability to speak.

"Shinjini could not accept the trauma after she was rebuked by the judges in the dance reality show. She was eliminated from the competition. She came out of the show and told her mother that she wanted to cry loudly. After that, she fell unconscious," Shinjini's aunt Kana Ghosh said, adding the girl didn't break into tears after being scolded by the judges.

On June 11 when her condition worsened, she was admitted to a nursing home and later shifted to the Calcutta Medical Research Institute (CMRI).

After spending five days at the hospital, her parents Friday evening flew her to Bangalore's Nimhas Hospital for treatment.

"It was a critical case and the effect was quite severe. It's too early to comment on her health. It will take some time. But we are hopeful about her quick recovery," said Sitannshu Nandi, Shinjini's physician in Kolkata.

He said she suffered a severe shock that led to the neurological disorder and her symptoms are very complex.

Nandi felt she was suffering from Guillain-Barre syndrome, which is an inflammatory disorder in which the body's immune system attacks the nerves outside the brain, spinal cord (peripheral nerves) and parts of the brain itself.

The neurological disorder leads to severe weakness and numbness. The loss of feeling and movement (paralysis) may occur in legs, arms, upper body and face due to the syndrome.

Shinjini also acted in television serials and her first film, "Bor Asbe Ekhuni", is scheduled for release in August this year.

"We are really shocked to hear this news. We had no intention to rebuke anyone. We did a fair judgement and whatever we did it was good for the contestants. We are not here to hurt anyone's emotions," said Ringo, one of the judges of the reality competition.

He said: "I personally talked to her parents and enquired about her health."

Danseuse Tanushree Shankar, another judge in the reality show, said: "Shinjini was a great dancer, but unfortunately she was eliminated because of her performance on that particular day. We always want to see her back on stage."

• Television