Refugee in India
After many days of searching, he was unable to find a job. A friend at the refugee camp took him to Dr. J. C. Jain - Hindi teacher at Ruiya College Bombay. Dr. Jain helped him by providing a part time job to earn commission by selling his books. He used to earn a 25% commission by selling the books.
Later he got a permanent job in a licensed firecracker factory - Messrs Vassen Puspasen, and during this time he developed the skill of making grenades. During this period he came in contact with Dixit Maharaj - brother of Dada Maharaj, who was the head of a sect of affluent Hindus known as Pushtimarg Vaishanavas. He lived in a house in the precincts of the famous Bhuleshwar temple at Bombay.
Madan Lal lost his index finger while working at the firecracker factory. The finger was gripped in the gears of a turntable when his hand slipped. His assistant immediately stopped the machinery, but the finger was wedged between the teeth of two rotary wheels. However medical assistance was not sought.
"There were half-made bombs lying all over the place. To send for a doctor would have been suicidal. So I picked up a knife and chopped the finger off." – As told to Manohar Malgaonkar in the book "The Men Who Killed Gandhi".
Read more about this topic: Madan Lal Pahwa
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