Mangaluru blast: New auto, Rs 5 lakh for injured driver

MLA D Vedavyas Kamath visited Purushotham Poojary, who suffered burn injuries in a cooker blast on a moving auto near Nagori in Mangaluru on November 19, at his residence in Ujjodi on Tuesday. Poojary was discharged from the hospital on January 14.

“I will personally hand over a new auto rickshaw for his livelihood within 10 to 12 days. A new auto for his old permit, with all the documents by paying insurance for the same will be handed over to him,” said the MLA to mediapersons.

“Purushotham Poojary can not work for at least a year. So we will provide all help for him for his living,” he said.

Further, the BJP has decided to pay Rs 5,00,000 to him to maintain the family till he is recovered fully and fit for work.

The government has also promised to pay compensation to the family. “DK MP and District in-Charge Minister have already raised the issue with the CM. The government will announce the compensation within a week,” said the MLA.

The expenses of the treatment of Poojary were borne through the ESI benefit of his daughter. “We had asked the family not to pay a single paise for the treatment in the hospital. Even the hospital was asked not to collect any fee from the family. As his daughter had an ESI card, she had used it for her father’s treatment. We elected representatives are well aware of our responsibility. We will do everything to support the family.”

No one should politicise the issue over compensation and treatment of Purushotham Poojary. “We will be with the family and support him for his daughter’s wedding,” said the MLA.