COIMBATORE: Five activists from Karumathampatti block, who were booked for paying tribute to victims of bus stand roof collapse incident marking the first year anniversary, have been provided sureties to get bail by five injured victims in the incident.
The activists, who have been supporting the injured victims for the past one year to get compensation from government, have now received help from victims of the collapse.
On September 7, 2017, the mishap of Somanur town panchayat bus stand's roof collapse claimed five persons life and caused injury to 18 persons. Following the incident, the state government announced a solatium of Rs 4 lakh to kin of persons who died and Rs 50,000 to injured persons. However, some of the injured victims were struggling to get necessary medical treatment due to poor financial background. For instance, P Latha, a 21-year-girl from Thevarayampalam in Tirupur district, who lost her right leg in the incident, has been struggling to meet her medical expense of Rs 11 lakh.
After a continuous struggle by the activists, recently the state government additionally extended the compensation fund to Rs 6.07 lakh. Similarly, the activists are demanding a government job for her and the process is going on.
To mark of first year anniversary of the horrible incident on September 7, 2018, the activists along with victims family were planning to give tribute to victims in the incident. However, preventing them before the event, the police ordered that no tribute event is conducted on the day. However, the five activities, D Prabakaran, K Velusamy, C Jayakumar, S Sampath and S Ananthakumar paid homage at Somanur bus stand in wee hours of the day at 1 pm in order to avoid police's prevention.
Following their homage, the Karumathampatti police slapped a case under 147 (Punishment for rioting), 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 153 (Promoting enmity) of IPC. Following the case, the activists got anticipatory bail to avoid arrest. Meanwhile, on their bail petition with the District Court, they have been given bail on the case. In which, they are asked to hand over surety documents with Sulur magistrate court on Friday.
To provide surety for them, five persons of victims in the incident - Latha, Vijaya, Saraswathi, Murali and Leemarose - have come forward to extend surety in return for the activists contentious support after the incidents. Speaking to Express D Prabakaran, an activist who has been booked under the case, said, -"Despite being from poor economical background, when they had heard that we have needed for surety certificate as each needed for one persons guaranty with Rs 10,000 worth of document. They come forward and handed over it. Which made us very much pleasure over it.-"