Woman who lost her leg pleads for job, compensation

S. Manimegalai told DC that she worked as a sanitary staff at the government high school in Theetipalayam and on November 20,2013, the school had organised a excursion for the students and despite her repeatedly telling the school incharge she was not interested in going for the trip, she was compelled.

The school took 36 studnets, along with two staff and her in a minidor to a temple close by. As the vehicle could not withstand the load of the vehicle, the minidor capsized. The driver should have told the school incharge that the load was too much and should have refused to drive but he did not. The minidor capsized when they were returning back to the school, killing a class seven student and chopping of Manimegalai's right leg.

"I managed to sit upright after the accident and was able to see my right leg lying cut on the road, a few yards away from me. I called for the ambulance, called my husband and my brother and asked them to get to the Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital before i lost lots of blood and swooned," she said.

Despite overloading, the death of a student and loss of my limb, no action was taken on the driver.

The parents of the girl who died in the accident have not been able to get even the death certificate. They have not been compensated either, she alleged. "Now that I am incapacitated I want the collector to give me compensation and also a job. I have not been able to educate my daughter and the paltry sum by husband who is a coolie earns is not sufficient to run our family”.

“The previous chief education officer A. Gnanagowri had promised me a job so I should be given one to earn my living and support my family,” she said.