Employer locks up injured worker to evade medical bills

A labourer, who was critically injured in an accident and almost lost his life after his employer locked him up in a shed two years ago to avoid paying his medical bills, saw a ray of hope on Friday when the city police registered a case in this regard.

Chikka Muniyappa, the owner of a nursery in Koramangala, had locked up Manjunath, 36, who had met with an accident, for five days to avoid medical expenses. The hapless labourer is now bedridden and many of his vital organs have failed.

Though a complaint was filed at the time of accident, the police allegedly colluded with the employer and filed a B-report (stating that the complaint is false), thereby snuffing out hope of justice. The case came to light when some neighbours of the nursery owner approached a city court.

The labourer’s father, Rangappa, has filed a complaint with the VIII additional chief metropolitan magistrate. He stated that his son was working as a labourer in the Muniyappa’s nursery anad had been staying there for a few years. On March 3, 2010, Rangappa received a call from a Good Samaritan, informing him that his son was unwell and had been dumped in the shed in the nursery for several days. He asked Rangappa to arrange for immediate medical care.

Rangappa rushed to the nursery and noticed his son was lying unconscious and writhing in pain. Rangappa rushed his son to a government hospital, where they referred him to Nimhans. At Nimhans, the doctors refused to admit Manjunath, saying that he had no chance of survival.

After running from pillar to post, the family managed to get Manjunath admitted at the KR Puram General Hospital. Upon being asked about the reason for his condition, Manjunath revealed, with great difficulty, that he was riding the pillion on a motorcycle being driven by Shivappa, a relative of his employer. They met with an accident in Chikkaballapura town on February 28, 2010. While Shivappa escaped with minor injuries, Manjunath was severely injured and was taken to a hospital for treatment.

Doctors told Muniyappa that immediate surgery was required since Manjunath’s backbone and shoulder bones were damaged. As Muniyappa did not want to foot the medical bills, he brought Manjunath back to the nursery and dumped him in the shed.

Police negligence
Even though a medico-legal case was registered in Gudibande police station, the then sub-inspector MN Ashwath Narayana fabricated the statement of Manjunath to blame himself for the accident and filed a B-report.

He neither served notice nor informed orally about the closure of the case, which led to the suspicion that he had colluded with Muniyappa to help bail him out of this situation, Rangappa alleged.

Manjunath’s elder brother Srinivasa said, “My brother told me he was riding pillion, while Shivappa was riding the motorcycle when the accident happened. How can Manjunath be at fault! Moreover, at the time of accident and even after one week, he was not in a position to talk, then how come the police recorded his statement!” he said.

Though Manjunath survived after being treated at KR Puram hospital, he has been bedridden ever since. Manjunath’s wife and three minor daughters are being taken care of by his father and his brother, who too are labourers. “We are worried about his family, since he has three daughters and with no other source of income,” Srinivasa said.

Doctors told us that apart from damaging his backbone and shoulder bone in the accident, Manjunath’s kidneys have also failed and his chances of survival were slim, Srinivasa revealed.

“We want the authorities to take strict action against Muniyappa, who nearly killed my son by denying him medical treatment, Rangappa said. The police officials, who helped Muniyappa in hushing up the case, should also be brought to book, he added.

Based on court’s direction, Koramangala police registered a case on Friday.