A year on since Mangaluru auto blast, victim yet to get compensation from govt

Mangaluru: A year after the cooker blast in a moving auto rickshaw in Nagori in Mangaluru, the autorickshaw driver Purushotham K who had suffered serious burn injuries is yet to receive compensation from the government.

The cooker blast triggered in a moving autorickshaw on November 19, 2022, had injured Purushotham and terror suspect Mohammed Shariq. “Though my burn injuries have healed, I am not able to carry out routine work and drive the autorickshaw which was my livelihood until the ill-fated day. I still have tablets to take. And I have been warned by doctors not to lift any weight,” Purushotham told DH.

“I was unwell for almost 10 months and had submitted an appeal to the government seeking compensation. I also wrote a letter to the Dakshina Kannada (DK) Deputy Commissioner (DC) to ascertain the compensation status. Unfortunately, I have not received any response about the compensation so far,” he lamented.

DK MP Nalin Kumar Kateel and Mangalore City South MLA D Vedavyas Kamath handed over an autorickshaw and Rs 5 lakh to Purushotham on March 5. "Even the treatment expenses were borne by my daughter using her ESI benefits," he recollected. “As I cannot drive autorickshaw, I have given it to others to drive on a rental basis,” Purushotham said.

Purshotham says his selfless service in the past to Koragajja Kshetra near Ujjodi had saved him from death in the cooker blast. "The injuries prevent me from doing any seva at the Koragajja Kshetra," he said and added that he merely visits the kshetra. Gurubeladingalu Foundation led by R Padmaraj had renovated Purushotham's house for Rs 6.22 lakh. The house was later handed over to the family on March 22.

National Investigation Agency (NIA) is presently investigating the blast case and terror suspect Mohammed Shariq had been shifted to Bengaluru on December 17, 2022.

Not aware of the assurances on compensation

DK Deputy Commissioner Mullai Muhilan when contacted said he was not aware of the government's assurance on releasing compensation to cooker-blast victim Purushotham. He promised to respond after consulting higher officials.