Gurpur accident: Injured boy breathes his last
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore
Updated
Mangalore, Jun 5: Six-year-old Rohit, who was grievously injured when a tempo hit him at Gurpur here on Thursday June 5, breathed his last in a hospital in the city the same night.
Rohit, a first standard student of Our Lady of Pompei School, was waiting for the school van with his mother on Thursday morning, when the tempo ran over him. Rohit was rushed to hospital in a critical condition by Rafeeq of Gurpur.
He was the son of Rajendra Poojary and Jyothi, residents of Gurpur.
Hospital sources said that Rohit breathed his last at around 8.30 or 9 pm. His body was later handed over to the family.
Earlier Update
Gurpur accident: Protest ends after assurances to install speed breakers
Pics: Meryick D'Silva
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (DV)
The protest by locals at Gurpur following an accident on Thursday June 5 morning was called off after officials as well as Sri Rajashekharananda Swamiji of Gurupur Vajradehi Math assured that speed breakers would be installed along the highway stretch and the road would be widened too.
After futile attempts by tahsildar Manjunath to convince the protestors, DCP K V Jagadish arrived at the spot and told the agitators that he has already spoke to officials of the highway authority about installing speed breakers.
"Four to six speed breakers will installed and two men will deputed to guard the highway at two check points," he told the protestors.
However, the people refused to be convinced and said that the such assurances have come from officials many times in the past, but no action was taken.
The Swamiji of Gurpur Vajradehi Math then came to the spot and spoke to the protestors, who told him that they do not believe in the assurances given by the officials.
In response, the Swamiji said, "The tahsildar has asured me that speed breakers will be installed by tomorrow (Friday June 6) evening," to which the protestors replied that if it does not happen they would protest in the premises of the Math.
"If the speed breakers are not installed within the deadline, I will join you in protest. We will protest in tahsildar's office," the Swamiji told the locals.
Finally, convinced by the Swamiji's assurances, the locals agreed to withdraw the protest.
Speaking to media persons, Sri Vajradehi Swamiji said, "The tahsildar has assured that four speed breakers will be installed on this stretch of road. The notification for road widening has already been issued and by June 23, the survey will be done, after which the widening work will begin. If all this is not done as promised, I will take the initiative to launch a massive protest."
Earlier Update
Chaos erupted at Gurpur here on Thursday June 5 after a young boy was hit by an Eicher tempo while he was waiting for the school van.
It is said that, the 6-year-old Rohit, studying in first standard in Pompei school, was waiting along with his mother for the school van on Thursday morning, when a speeding tempo hit him.
The boy was severely injured and rushed to a hospital.
The driver of the tempo fled the spot soon after the accident.
As soon as the news of the accident spread, angry locals gathered at the spot and began a flash protest. They blocked roads leading to heavy traffic jam in the area. They also damaged the tempo which caused the accident and burnt tyres to express their ire.
The protestors demanded the road at Gurpur be widened. They said they had appealed to the authorities several times in the past to widen the road, but all proposals were stalled as there are temple and mosque on either sides and the road cannot be widened without them giving up land.
The protestors demanded that the deputy commissioner and the MLA and MP come to the spot.
Police rushed to the spot and are trying to pacify the protestors.
Tahsildar Manjunath arrived at the spot, but his efforts to coax the protestors into withdrawing the agitation went in vain. Instead, the protestors raised slogans and prevented the tahsildar from leaving the spot until the DC himself comes.
It is learnt that DC is on a visit to Charmady ghat on work.
More details awaited.