MEMORY OF AN ACCIDENT

 

 

Friday, 13th October 2000, Twenty Years ago:

On that day, the Bypass Road from Trivandrum Technopark was not complete. Railway bridge work was indefinitely pending. The traffic was not yet formally opened. Street lights were not lit up. 

 

The time was nearly 8:00PM. It was pitch dark.

 

I was returning from my office in Technopark, after a long, tiring and disturbing day’s work.

I was driving my car slowly with maximum care, because it was very dark and the road was not fully traffic-ready and the terrain was not yet familiar. My car-stereo was softly playing Mehdi Hassan.

 

When I was nearing the junction before Venpalavattom, I suddenly heard a male voice desperately wailing loudly “അയ്യോ രക്ഷിക്കണേ!”.

 

Then I saw an Ambassador car with the headlights on and the bonnet was seriously damaged by hitting the road divider. I knew there was an accident. I stopped my car and I saw a young man running towards me with full of blood on his dress. He was in extreme state of shock and he could not coherently answer my questions. 

 

With him I went to the car and I was shocked to see two more persons. Another young man profusely bleeding on the upper part of his body. Then I heard a woman crying feebly from the back seat. Immediately I knew both of them were in a serious condition. The lady was a senior, with some head injury. The young man who approached me was in a comparatively better position.

 

One moment I thought what to do? I could call for ambulance or police. But I realized the Cell phone signal was very weak (almost nil being that area was newly developing and deserted, and the absence of mobile towers, and being early days of Mobile phones).

Then I realised, “It is an emergency. Time is critical, I have to take them to a hospital as soon as possible”.

 

With the help of the young man, with great difficulty we both somehow carried the woman to my car and the other man staggeringly followed behind.

 

The young man was crying “Please Sir, take us to a hospital Our mother is dying”.

He got into the front seat with me and the other two were accommodated in the rear seat. Then I got into the driving seat and gave the youngster my water bottle and asked him to give his mother, if needed.

 

Then I started the car, switched on all emergency lights, and stepped on the pedal, fully blowing the horn, and driving with maximum speed, as never before in my life, in the darkness.

 

After I reached the regular traffic zone, my job had become more difficult because of the busy traffic and driving through it. Once in a while I was also advising the sons to take care of their mother and don’t allow her to faint. She was continuously wailing because of the pain and the trauma.

 

They were from Murukkumpuzha and they were on their return journey from Trivandrum city. Their father was a business man.

 

On the way the young man requested (if possible) to take them to SUT Hospital.

I could heave a sigh of relief, when I reached the main entrance of SUT hospital. Seeing the speeding car some hospital staff ran to us with stretchers and within seconds they carried the two persons Mother and Elder son inside the Casualty of the hospital. Other person had only minor external injuries and he followed them.

 

The hospital staff and the security staff enquired me what happened. I explained to them.

They immediately told me that “Sir, you have done a great thing. You have saved the lives of them. Many people won’t do this”

 

“How could I leave them on the road in this condition without any assistance? This was the only thing I could do. I had no choice. If I had not done this it would haunt me all my life”

I telephoned their father and informed the details. Then I gave the young guy some money for any emergency and gave my business card, and advised him to call me if he needs any further help.

 

When I walked back to my car, I saw the rear seat was full of blood. My, fairly new Jacket, which was lying there on the seat, was soaked in blood.

 

Later I came to know from SUT hospital that the woman had to undergo a major surgery for head injury. Her elder son had some serious ribcage injuries and he was treated. Both of them survived.

 

I was exhausted when I reached home. That night before going to bed I thanked God for giving me that opportunity to save two lives.