GDN: Truck crash victim dies

By begena george

A father injured in a freak road accident died early yesterday, as volunteers lost the race for compensation to send him home for treatment.

Social workers told the GDN they were still trying to secure a compensation for the family of Indian Tripparthi Shridhar.

Mr Shridhar worked for six years as a labourer at the Municipalities and Agriculture Ministry’s parks and gardens section.

The 36-year-old was loading items from a pick-up truck on the Shaikh Khalifa Highway at around 5.45am on August 2 when a car smashed into it.

He sustained neck and spine injuries, which left him paralysed from the neck down.

By begena george

A father injured in a freak road accident died early yesterday, as volunteers lost the race for compensation to send him home for treatment.

Social workers told the GDN they were still trying to secure a compensation for the family of Indian Tripparthi Shridhar.

Mr Shridhar worked for six years as a labourer at the Municipalities and Agriculture Ministry’s parks and gardens section.

The 36-year-old was loading items from a pick-up truck on the Shaikh Khalifa Highway at around 5.45am on August 2 when a car smashed into it.

He sustained neck and spine injuries, which left him paralysed from the neck down.

Saudi Abdulrahman bin Mohammed Hamad Al Gublani, 25, who was driving the car was killed instantly.

Mr Shridhar was in the Intensive Care Unit at Salmaniya Medical Complex and died at around 1am, said the Telugu Kala Samithi Welfare Committee, which is spearheading his case.

He has two low-earning brothers in Bahrain – Bramyaa and Satish, who were visiting him daily.

He is the only breadwinner of his family that consists of his wife and three-year-old and two-month-old daughters.

Ministry officials say that compensation procedures cannot be initiated until they get the report from the traffic court, said committee member S Tito.

“Tripparthi’s condition was very critical and we knew that his chances of survival were very slim,” he said.

“The doctors were saying that he needs to be taken to India for further treatment.

“That’s exactly why we were requesting for the procedures to be sped up because the poor man’s life was at stake.

“His family is very poor and they didn’t have any money for the treatment, they were relying on the compensation.

“According to the hospital report, he died of a heart attack. Arrangements for his repatriation are being carried out now.

“However, we will still pursue his compensation claim so that at least his jobless wife can manage to raise their two little daughters.

“The poor man died for no fault of his – he was simply doing his job.

“Ministry officials have told us that they are waiting for the report from the traffic court before any procedure for compensation is initiated.

“But we strongly urge the authorities concerned to give this case priority.”

An official from the ministry’s parks and gardens section, who did not want to be named, had told the GDN that they were waiting for the report about the accident to be forwarded to them by the traffic court and any procedures related to the compensation would have to wait.

Traffic sources earlier told the GDN that Mr Al Gublani did not notice the six-wheel truck.

Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene from chest and head injuries.

Both Kunju Pramesh, 30, a front-seat passenger in the truck and driver Nizar Mohammed, 37, suffered neck injuries while another driver Mohammed Ali Ibrahim, 53, escaped unhurt.

begena@gdn.com.bh