The Karnataka government will bear the hospital expenses of Purushotham Poojary, the autorickshaw driver who was injured in the Mangaluru cooker bomb blast, reported news agency PTI. He is currently being treated at a private hospital in Mangaluru.
The treatment expenses were borne by his daughter using her ESI(Employee’s State Insurance) benefits and the hospital. The hospital authorities informed that further treatment will not come under the ESI scheme.
Dakshina Kannada district administration issued an order which reads, “The treatment should be continued from the hospital without pressuring the family to pay the expenses. Hence, the amount which was paid through ESI till now, will be paid by the government henceforth.”
Poojary has to undergo treatment for another 15 to 20 days at the hospital for plastic surgery, the report claimed.
Karnataka home minister Araga Jnanendra earlier handed over ₹50,000, while district-in-charge minister V Sunil Kumar gave ₹25,000 to Poojary’s family for his treatment. The Dakshina Kannada district administration has sent a proposal to the government seeking compensation for Poojary.
In the November 19 explosion, Poojary and a passenger, Mohammed Shariq (24) who is also the prime accused in the case, had sustained injuries.
The Karnataka police chief declared it as a “terror act” and revealed that the accused has links with organised terror groups. The case was later handed over to the NIA.