The Independence Day turned out to be a mourning day for this family who lost their son in an accident. 

Arun (13), an 8th standard student, who was on his way to take part in the celebrations died in an accident on Wednesday morning.

Arun died on the spot when his bicycle was knocked down by a vehicle belonging to the Information Department, near the district stadium at around 8.50 am.

The boy’s father, a cook at a hostel in Vemagal, is a resident of Ambedkar Nagar in the town. Arun was eldest  among his four children.

Arun’s body was kept at SNR Hospital here and the relatives and friends thronged the area. Grief striken, Arun’s parents were inconsolable.

Silence

A silence was observed at the district hospital in memory of Arun after the district incharge minister Alangur Srinivas delivered his Independence Day address.

Compensation

Later Mr Srinivas, Union Minister K H Muniyappa and other dignitaries visited the hospital. Mr Srinivas announced a compensation of Rs five thousand on behalf of the district administration.

He promised to get more compensation from the government. A few other leaders too handed over compensation to Arun’s parents. Enraged by the accident some people blocked roads at Ambedkar Nagar. Police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the crowd.