With Aid Only from Local Citizens, Cooker Blast Victim Yet to Get Compensation from Govt

With Aid Only from Local Citizens, Cooker Blast Victim auto-rickshaw driver Purushotham is yet to get Compensation from the Government

Mangaluru: Almost a year after the Mangaluru cooker blast was reported, auto-rickshaw driver Purushotham K, who sustained burns in the explosion, claimed that he is yet to receive compensation from the government. A low-intensity cooker blast occurred in a moving autorickshaw near Nagori on 19 November 2022. Purushotham said, “I faced health issues for nearly 10 months, and only after recovering did I apply for compensation. Subsequently, I wrote a letter to the deputy commissioner of Dakshina Kannada, to know about the status of the compensation from the government. Despite being assured of a response within 15 days, I am yet to hear from him,”

Speaking to the media he said, “My life took a complete U-turn for me, after the incident. I am unable to operate the auto-rickshaw, and lifting anything has become a challenge for me. Since the age of 15, I have been engaged in work at the Koragajja Kshetra near Ujjodi, a task that I am now unable to perform. I am hoping that the earlier BJP government who assured me of the compensation will put forth my plea to the present congress government and do the needful”.

It should be noted that following the blast, Purushotham underwent treatment at a private hospital for over a month. Member of Parliament Nalin Kumar Kateel and Mangaluru City South MLA D Vedavyas Kamath presented Purushotham with an auto-rickshaw and Rs five lakhs. Additionally, the Gurubeladingalu Foundation, headed by R Padmaraj, who also serves as the treasurer of Kudroli Sri Gokarnanatha Temple, facilitated the renovation of his house, and a grand ceremony was held in the presence of politicians, and Good Samaritans, during his entry into the renovated house.

In response, the Dakshina Kannada deputy commissioner Mullai Muhilan MP said that the administration will look into the issue. The National Investigation Agency is probing the case and we will see that Purushotham gets compensation at the earliest.