While tanker driver Cheluvaras, tailor Guruvappa, Shobha, Vanitha, her son Chitresh, Sunil were burnt alive in the mishap, Omni driver Vasanth and housewife Khateejamma succumbed to the injuries they sustained on the same day (Tuesday) in the hospital.
As soon as the doctors broke the news of Vimala’s death at 9.50 am, Vimala’s sister and relatives broke down and were inconsolable. “Second among five children, Vimala took care of her siblings after her elder brother Mailappa Naik died due to cancer 18 years ago. Her mother too died about two years ago.
Almost single handedly Vimala married off her two sisters and was planning to get marry soon,” said a relative of Vimala. She was living with her father and her deceased brother’s wife and her son and she was the only breadwinner of the family, her relative added.
Minutes before the ill-fated tanker turned turtle, she had visited her friend Indira, before proceeding to Anganwadi, recalled Vimala’s cousin. Though both Vimala and Indira had ran for safety soon after the mishap, the blazing fire engulfed both of them and they had suffered 80 per cent and 60 per cent burn injuries. Vimala’s last rites were performed at Perne late in the evening.
2 still critical
Meanwhile, the condition of Indira (40) with 60 per cent burn injuries and Hajeema (70) with 50 per cent burn injuries, continues to be critical, say sources in the hospital. Yet another victim, Safiya (28, daughter-in-law of Hajeema) with 30 per cent burn injuries is undergoing treatment in a private hospital in Puttur.
Sites distributed
Bantwal Tahsildar Bharathi distributed the compensation of Rs 1 lakh each to the kin of seven deceased (except tanker driver Cheluvaras) and a sum of Rs 50,000 to the injured, on Thursday.
Besides, the four families who had lost homes in the mishap were sanctioned 4 cents land at Karla by Deputy Tahsildar Sridhar Gowda and Revenue Inspector Govind Naik. Those who were sanctioned the land included Sundar Rai, his brother Shankar Rai, Narayan Naik and Khateejamma. Gram Panchayat President Poyajaksha Shetty and local leaders Ummappa Poojary and Sulaiman were present.
Red Cross help
The Indian Red Cross Society Dakshina Kannada and Udupi district unit distributed a relief kit to the 8 families who were affected by the tanker mishap at Perne.
The kit comprised utensils, bedsheets, blankets, clothes, bucket and a mosquito net among other essential items. Each kit cost Rs 5,000. The kits were handed over by Indian Red Cross Society Karnataka Chairperson Basrur Rajeev Shetty.
Managing Committee Members T Chandrashekar, Dr Ashok Kumar, Jayaram Acharya, Raveendranath, Yathis Baikampady, Prabhakar Sriyan, Vishnumurthy and Ajay were present. Relief Committee President Ashok Rai was also present.
