THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: October 20, 2019, was the most horrible day in Jithin Raj’s life. A day that brought him face to face with the harsh realities of life. A day that made him realise the reason why many of the accident victims never make it. It was what triggered him and his business partner, Ajmal Khalid, to launch a new initiative offering free vehicle cleaning service to those who help accident victims.
“The accident took place at Vyttila-Palarivattom road,” recalls Ajmal. “A bike had hit the median and two youths were lying on the road covered in blood. Jithin came upon them. It was dark and there was no one around. So, he decided to transport them to the nearest hospital,” says Ajmal. “The thought had passed his mind that the seats of his car might get stained. But he didn’t think much about it,” says Ajmal. “Maybe owning a car washing company might be the reason.” However, Jithin was shocked to learn that one of the youths passed away. “The doctors told me that if they would have been brought in a bit earlier both of them could have been saved. The golden hour was lost and so was the youth’s life,” Jithin adds.
This prompted the duo to do something about it. “We didn’t have much data to go on. So, the first step included research,” says Ajmal. They researched accidents and the reason behind the lives lost. “It took us one year to study the entire thing,” he adds.
According to Ajmal, besides the fear of getting entangled in legal hassles, the one thing that holds back many is the thought of getting bloodstains on their car’s upholsteries. This is where Caggo Steam Services, a company founded by Ajmal and Jithin, comes into play. “We decided to offer free service to vehicle owners who help accident victims by transporting them to the nearest hospital,” Jithin says.
“We offer this service as part of creating awareness to help accident victims. The service is free of cost and is provided at the residence of those who engage in this humanitarian activity,” Ajmal says. Caggo founders say they employ Korean technology using steam to clean vehicles.
“Once anyone helps an accident victim, they can share the location of their vehicle on the WhatsApp helpline number 9137123456. The company employees will reach the place where the vehicle is parked and will clean it free of cost. This service is available in all 14 districts through our 100-plus branches,” Ajmal adds.