Alappuzha: Lack of timely medical help likely contributed to the death of a sub-inspector and a young chef who were involved in two separate bike accidents on the Alappuzha-Changanasseri Road on Sunday.
The deceased AJ Joseph, 55, from Vadakkal was a Grade SI at Kainadi Police Station and Shyam Shaji, 21, from Vazhicheri was the son of late Shaji Francis.
The policeman on highway patrol, who has saved many lives on duty, lay unattended on the road for half an hour after falling off his bike. In the other incident, the youth was unattended for 10 minutes after his bike was hit by a truck.
Joseph, who was part of the highway patrol team, fell off his bike near Pallikootumma Junction on the AC Road around 2pm. Bystanders did not even try to remove his helmet. It was Joseph’s colleague from the station who took him to the hospital after half an hour.
Internal haemorrhage led to death, said the doctors.
Joseph leaves behind his wife Rini and children Krupa Joseph, Sneha Joseph, Jeevan Joseph, all students.
In the other accident on the same road, Shyam’s bike was hit by a truck near Kaithana Junction around 1.30am. Shyam, a chef at a resort in Punnamada, was returning from work with colleague Midhun, 19. They were headed to Kalarcode to see off a friend to the Gulf when the accident happened. Midhun is admitted at Alappuzha Medical College hospital with injuries.
Their bike was hit by a truck entering the highway at the junction which had no streetlights. No vehicles stopped to help Shyam who bled on the road for 10 minutes. It was some of his friends, also headed to Kalarcode, who took him to the medical college hospital, where he died around 7am. The lorry driver who drove off from the accident spot later surrendered to the police.
Shyam is survived by his mother Latha and sister Geethu.
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