Tension outside hospital as Gokak mill worker dies

DC promises to hold meeting with mill management on Thursday

Kallappa Kadappa (42), a worker of Gokak Mills who had consumed poison on April 13, died on Sunday, leading to a protest by his colleagues at the district government hospital here.

The workers were led by Bhimshi L. Jarkiholi, president of the newly floated union, Mahashakti Javali Karmikara Sangh. They prevented the hospital staff from moving the body out of the medical intensive care unit to the mortuary for post-mortem.

However, as Deputy Commissioner N. Jayaram, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Amarnath Reddy and Jayakumar, Assistant Commissioner of Police attached to Khade Bazaar police station, promised to convene a meeting with the mill management on April 21, the union suspended the protest. The body was handed over to the family on Monday.

Kallappa’s death has come as a shock to his colleagues as his condition was stated to be out of danger. They suspect that some thing was amiss in the incident and demanded an investigation. Kallappa had consumed poison during a protest outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office in front of Mr. Jayaram.

V.B. Hukkeri, director in-charge of the Belagavi Institute of Medical Sciences, told The Hindu that Kallappa had died due to cardio respiratory arrest because of organo-phosphorous poisoning.

He said that Kallappa was being treated for poisoning as per normal procedures ever since he was shifted to the hospital. His stomach was washed. His fellow workers were asked to bring the pesticide bottle so that they could ascertain the antidote. But no one brought the bottle. However, his condition deteriorated on Sunday afternoon and died around 5.45 p.m.

Meanwhile, Resident Medical Officer Vidya Huligol has reportedly signed the ‘case bill’ of Kallappa without reading the cause of his death.

She told The Hindu that she had signed the paper without reading the details. Asked how she could put her signature on such an important document without reading the details, Dr. Huligol said that there were four to five deaths at the hospital every day. Dr. Hukkeri said he would speak to Dr. Huligol about the issue.