Kulathupuzha (Kollam): A 46-year-old liver patient who was assaulted by a KSRTC bus conductor died the other day, almost three weeks after the incident that had upset him. A few days earlier he had even made a suicide bid.
The deceased S Ani belonged to Sreevilasam House at Poovanathummoodu, Bharathipuram, near Punalur, in Thiruvananthapuram district.
The police have registered a case against R Rajeev, a conductor with the Punalur KSRTC depot, for attacking Ani.
Ani had complained to the police that the conductor attacked him at Vembayam on November 20 while he was on his way to Punalur from Thiruvananthapuram in a KSRTC bus. He was accompanied by his brother as he proceeded to the Government Taluk Hospital, Punalur, for follow-up treatment after his prolonged treatment at the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital.
Rajeev allegedly attacked Ani as he was found sleeping inside the bus.
In his complaint Ani had further alleged that he was first insulted and later beaten up by the bus conductor by terming him as a drunkard.
Though Ani was taken into custody by the Vattappara police as per Rajeev's complaint, he was later let off after the police became convinced of his innocence in the case.
However, Ani's condition worsened and had to be admitted to the Punalur Taluk Hospital. Once discharged, he went to his mother’s house in Eroor on December 3 and tried to end his life. He was then admitted to the Thiruvananthapuram MCH.
He succumbed by 10 am on Tuesday.
His relatives had complained that Ani had tried to commit suicide as he could not withstand the mental agony after his complaint to the KSRTC Managing Director, the State Human Rights Commission and the Director General of Police seeking justice elicited no reply.
Ani is survived by wife Sumangala and children Abhijith and Abhinand. His cremation will take place later.
Rajeev, who was an accused in the murder case of former Congress leader Eroor Nettayam Ramabhadran, later became a prosecution witness in the case and thus escaped punishment.
