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The Briton who escaped death in the Taj four times
Amar Singh5 Dec 2008
A university lecturer survived four attempts on his life in last week's Mumbai terror attacks.
Gunmen opened fire on Simon Healeas, a finance lecturer at the University of Westminster, in the Taj Mahal Hotel - but he survived as he was carrying his wife's glasses case in his breast pocket which shielded his chest from a bullet.
He also had a grenade thrown at him and was shot in the arm and the leg during the attack on 26 November.
Mr Healeas was with colleagues who had travelled to Mumbai with the British Council.
Colin Matheson, a university colleague, said Mr Healeas and his wife Deevia, of Ealing, were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
He said: "We arranged to meet at the hotel to celebrate a friend's birthday. Simon and Deevia went ahead but the rest of us were delayed. That bullet hit the glasses case. It went right through one side, through the glasses then stopped at the other side of the case.
He said he'll be writing a thank you letter to Prada - he hadn't realised they made armoured glasses cases.
"He also had a grenade thrown at him that didn't go off.
"He said it must have been one very irritated terrorist who tried to kill him four times and failed on each occasion."
A hotel security guard found Mr Healeas injured and dragged him into the shrubbery by the swimming pool where they hid until they could get to safety.
His wife Deevia became separated in the chaos and was pushed into one of the shops where she hid behind the bookshelves.
Mr Matheson added: "Our hosts took us to safety and it was a very worrying couple of hours trying to find out if everyone was safe."
Mr Healeas, who is still recovering in hospital in Mumbai, is due to return to Britain within two weeks.
"Simon has had a second operation and is bearing up amazingly well. The bullet seems to have missed anything vital," Mr Matheson said.
Mr Healeas was in the city to award six scholarships to disadvantaged women who cannot afford to study in the UK.
On previous trips the visitors usually stay in either the Taj Mahal or Oberoi hotel - both attacked - but on this occasion they stayed elsewhere. Mr Matheson said: "We were lucky but many, mostly Indians, were not."
The University's vice-chancellor Professor Geoffrey Petts said: "The Sheriff of Mumbai provided a great deal of support to our staff, for which I am very grateful.
"Simon received excellent medical care at a leading medical centre in the area," he added. "We hope to have him and Mrs Healeas back within the next two weeks."
Reader views (5)
Trunk and Ms London...
Simon is a HERO as he was in Mumbai to help women who cannot afford to come to England to study and get degrees and in the process got shot 3 times and had a granade thrown at him and amazingly survived to continue helping those who are not priviledged enough to afford decent education. Not like some of us ummmmmmmm.
I don't know if you've ever tried to help anyone less fortunate then yourself Trunk and Missy London so I couldn't possibly comment on your Heroism...So quick to pass judgement...Do you have any genuine veiws or do you just pick holes in other peoples? And Trunk I am suprised you even have an opinion.
And thanks John Adam for your support as well you know Simon is a good soul and that was a message for him...
Peace out...
- Louise Copeland, London, 08/12/2008 14:42
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That's an outrageously insensitive thing to say!
Your point is valid but can't you show a little more tact?! That was a message of good will to someone who has blamelessly been through a harrowing ordeal.
Find something better to do with your time.
- John Adam Purcell-Shackleton, London, 08/12/2008 10:00
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Hear, hear, Trunk. Louise, as lovely a man as Simon may be, how is he a hero? It's not like he disarmed the shooters or anything. The word "hero" is used far too liberally by most people.
- Ms, London, 07/12/2008 17:46
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Louise, please explain what this fellow did that was so heroric? "I live therefore I am a hero" ??
- Trunk, US, 05/12/2008 16:38
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The admin staff at WBS are looking forward to Simons safe return...
You're our HERO.
WBS Administrators
- Louise Copeland, London, 05/12/2008 12:26
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