MLA offers money for victim, relatives refuse

BANGALORE: In a shocking incident, Tumkur Rural BJP MLA B Suresh Gowda’s SUV knocked down 69-year-old Thimma Hanumaiah at Nelamangala on Sunday morning. But Gowda fled the spot in another car without rushing the victim to a hospital.Speaking to Express, Hanumaiah’s cousin Balaramaiah said the SUV was being driven by Gowda’s driver Dayanand, and Gowda was sitting in the rear seat along with a  friend. “We managed to take Hanumaiah to a nearby hospital from where he was referred to Columbia Asia Hospital in Yashwantpur. As he was suffering from severe internal bleeding and injuries, he succumbed on the way to the hospital,” Balaramaiah said.“We were going along with Hanumaiah to Adichunchanagiri in his car. On the way, he wanted to attend a relative’s marriage at SLR Convention Hall. He parked the car on the roadside, and was crossing the road. Just in front of our eyes, the MLA’s SUV knocked him down. The negligence of MLA’s car driver was evident as he did not slow down the vehicle even though there is a speed-breaker there,” he added.Suresh Gowda reportedly offered some money for the victim’s treatment later, but the victim’s family members refused to accept it. They condemned Gowda, a people’s  representative, for not caring for a person hit by his own SUV.When contatcted by the Express, Gowda apologised for the incident and claimed that he took all risks to save the victim by shifting him to the hospital. The MLA, however, later joined B S Yeddyurappa in the inauguration of a temple at Muddapura village near Gubbi town. Nelamangala police, arrested the MLA’s driver.