Private bus crew blamed for elderly man's death in Idukki

KOCHI: Kaliyar police have registered a case of unnatural death after a 68-year-old man, who was travelling in a private bus , died of exhaustion on Wednesday. It has been alleged that the lapse on the part of the bus employees resulted in the death of A E Xavier of Vannappuram in Idukki.

Xavier, the district president of Deshiya Karshaka Thozhilali Federation (DKTF), affiliated to Congress, was travelling from Vannapuram to Muvattupuzha when he complained of tiredness to the employees of private bus, Motherland.

Later, Congress workers blocked the road in Vannapuram alleging that lapse on the part of the bus employees led to Xavier’s death . Youth Congress former block president, Thodupuzha, Aneesh Kishakkel said, “He boarded the bus from Vannappuram Kavala to attend a function in Palakkad. Soon, he complained of exhaustion. Instead of halting the bus at the nearby bus stop in Ambalapadi junction and taking him to a nearby hospital, the bus continued its journey towards Muvattupuzha. The bus employees thought Xavier was under the influence of alcohol since it was Onam day. They dropped him at Njarakkad, which is 6km away from Ambalapadi, where he boarded an autorickshaw, but he died on the way to hospital. Had bus employees took him to the hospital in Ambalapadi, Xavier’s life could have been saved.”

Meanwhile, motor vehicles department officials conducted a preliminary inquiry following the protest on the part of the Congress workers. “The preliminary report submitted by the motor vehicle inspector says that the bus did not stop at Ambalapadi as no auto was available there to transport Xavier to hospital. When the bus reached Njarakkad, the bus employees sent Xavier along with two passengers in the bus to a nearby hospital in an auto. But he died on the way. As it was Thiruvonam, only two employees, the driver and the conductor, were in the bus. As per the motor vehicles rules, passengers should be provided with satisfactory service by transport operators. We will conduct further enquiry into the incident after discussing with the police. If there is any fault on the part of the operators, action will be taken,” said Muvattupuzha RTO Babu John.

Meanwhile, police said Xaiver had been a heart patient for the past 40 years.