TNSTC conductor assaulted over bike accident succumbs

TIRUCHY: A TNSTC conductor succumbed to severe injuries inflicted by a group of people in retaliation to the two-wheeler accident caused by the victim in Tiruvaiyaru, on Saturday.

The relatives of the conductor refused to accept the body and demanded the immediate arrest of the culprit.

On May 21, R Manikandan (47), the TNSTC conductor from Ganapathi Agraharam in Thanjavur, along with his wife Akilandeshwari, sons Abhishek and Abhinath, went to Semmangudi near Tiruvaiyaru to attend the Mariamman temple festival. They stayed at a relative’s house and Manikandan was going to duty from Tiruvaiyaru.

Manikandan was returning from work to his relative’s house the next night, on a two-wheeler. Unexpectedly, his two-wheeler hit M Jecintha Mary, who was drawing rangoli in front of her house ahead of a festival in the street. Under the impact, Mary sustained injuries.

In a sudden turn of events, relatives of Jecintha Mary caught Manikandan and manhandled him. They went to the extent of smashing his head on the road. He sustained a severe head injury.

He was rushed to Thanjavur Medical College Hospital where he was undergoing treatment and the Tiruvaiyaru police registered a case on May 27 and commenced investigation.

Meanwhile, on Friday late evening, Manikandan succumbed to his injuries, and his family members, led by his wife Akilandeshwari, staged a protest at Tiruvaiyaru bazaar. They also blocked the vehicle movements as no one was arrested even a week after the complaint.

On information, Tiruvaiyaru police rushed to the spot and held talks with the agitating family members. Upon assurance by the police, they withdrew the protest. Traffic was disrupted for more than an hour at Tiruvaiyaru-Thanjavur highway.