A Mangaluru-based NGO has come forward to help the autorickshaw driver injured in the cooker bomb blast, persons in the know of the development said on Sunday.
On November 19, an explosion was reported in an auto-rickshaw in Mangaluru, injuring the driver, Purshottam Pujari, and the passenger, Mohammed Shariq (24), also the prime accused in the case.
Mangaluru-based Guru Beladingalu Foundation (GBF) has decided to help Pujari, in renovation of his house, said one of the persons cited above.
During the blast, the auto driver sustained severe injuries and is still undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Mangaluru, police said. The accused had also sustained 40% burn injuries, said police.The accused Shariq has recovered and is currently in judicial custody.
The auto driver’s family said that Pujari is still “not in a good condition” and is “unable get up from bed without help”.
On November 23,Karnataka home minister Araga Jnanendra during his visit to the hospital had assured that the state government would bear the cost of medical treatment for the driver. Jnanendra had said that the decision on further financial help to the victim’s family would be taken after he returns to Bengaluru. But the government has not released any compensation to the victim apart from Jnanendra’s personal contribution of ₹50,000 and power minister V Sunil Kumar’s personal contribution ₹25,000, people in the know of the matter said.
“My husband underwent two plastic surgeries for burn injuries and the cost of the treatment has exceeded ₹7 lakh as of now. Fortunately, my daughter Meghana (23) is working at a private hospital and has ESI (Employees’ State Insurance) coverage. Otherwise, we could have been on the street,’’ the auto driver’s wife Chitrakshi said.
She said that he will be discharged from the hospital in a couple of weeks and will have to take rest for a long time. “My daughter’s marriage is in May. I don’t know how to bear the cost of her marriage as the lone breadwinner of the family is bedridden,” she added.
After knowing the condition of the auto driver, the GBF Foundation offered to help the poor family. “We came to know that Pujari had planned to renovate his house before the marriage. Hence, we undertook the renovation at a cost of ₹5.5 lakh,” GBF president R Padmaraj said. “Though we want to construct a new house for the poor family, there is no space. Hence, we decided to renovate the old house,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dakshina Kannada deputy commissioner MR Ravi Kumar said: “Following the orders of the state home minister, the district administration is providing treatment through ESI to Pujari,” .“Despite having ESI cover, one has to pay to get treatment above ₹5 lakh,” he added.
