Baiyappanahalli police have booked staff of the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL) for negligence after 67-year-old Thimme Gowda collapsed on a Namma Metro train and passed out, but allegedly lay unattended at M.G. Road Namma Metro station for over 20 minutes without medical assistance, on July 20. Co-passengers took him in an autorickshaw to a private hospital on Infantry Road where he succumbed 35 minutes later.
Based on a complaint filed by Thimme Gowda’s son, Muthuraj T., an inspector with the BDA, the police booked the staff, and summoned them for questioning.
BMRCL denied any lapse on their part, and claimed that the complaint is false and defamatory.
Initial probe by police revealed that there was prima facie negligence on the part of the staff in handling the passenger after he collapsed and passed out in the train.
CCTV footage shows Thimme Gowda lying unattended at MG Road station for around 15 minutes even while two guards were in the vicinity.
Though a wheelchair was provided later, police claim that no Namma Metro official helped the patient.
Thimme Gowda is a farmer from Kollegal, in Chamarajanagar district. He was in Bengaluru to visit his son.
A police officer said co-passengers couldn’t de-board Thimme Gowda at Indiranagar and Halasuru stations. They looked for emergency contact numbers inside the Namma Metro train, but found none, he added.
Police have summoned the BMRCL’s Chief Security Officer for questioning under Section 41 of the CrPC, and are expecting a response in 3 days.
The complainant is not keen to pursue legal action, but wants to ensure that such incidents are not repeated. He wants to create awareness about the lack of medical facilities in the Namma Metro service.
Published - July 26, 2023 12:59 pm IST
