With no information trickling in about G. Rajesh Goud alias Raju, owner-cum-driver of the ill-fated van which met with an accident in Pudukottai district in Tamil Nadu, his wife Manjula, sons Nikhil and Akhil and relatives are tense about his well being.
What has compounded the woes of the anxious family members of Raju, a resident of Petbasheerabad, is that his mobile phone was not reachable.
Around 2.30 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, 10 Ayyappa devotees were killed and five others suffered injuries after a lorry rammed the van they were travelling in at Tirumayam bypass road of Pudukottai. They were returning to Narsapur after darshan of Lord Ayyappa in Sabarimala on Saturday.
Mr. Rajesh’s family members desperately tried to reach out to the relatives of the other victims in Medak and police authorities in Tamil Nadu but failed to get any communication about him. Medak district police announced the list of victims and persons injured in the accident. Narsapur circle inspector along with Tahsildar and local TRS leaders started for Tamil Nadu to complete the formalities and bring the mortal remains of the victims.
No clarity
When this correspondent visited his residence, friends and family members gathered at large number outside Rajesh’s house to know about his fate.
“We are trying to call the local police in Tamil Nadu and other relatives of Ayyappa devotees, who escaped with injuries in the accident,” said Rajesh’s friend Jeetaiah Yadav. Mr. Rajesh had last talked with Mr. Yadav late on Sunday night. and updated him about their travel plan. Mr. Rajesh, who purchased the vehicle from one P. Bhaskar two years ago.
Gopal Goud, a brother-in-law of Rajesh, who went to Petbasheerabad police station to lodge a complaint, said that even the Tamil Nadu police have not yet communicated information about the latter’s well being.
The relatives said that the news of Rajesh was not revealed to his wife Manjula, while his elder son Nikhil, who went Vijayawada, returned home, after learning about the news of his father.
