Chuvannamannu (Thrissur): For 31-year-old Sanjith from Chuvannamannu, losing his right leg in a tragic accident was not as painful as the shock of seeing his younger brother booked as prime accused in the case.

Sanjith, son of Subrahmanian and Kumari of Muriakkal, suffered grievous injuries when the motorbike his brother Ranjith was riding hit loose stones scattered on a broken service road. The tyre burst, the bike skidded, and both Sanjith and his brother Ranjith were thrown onto the road. Moments later, the rear wheels of a Taurus lorry ran over Sanjith’s right leg, crushing it beyond recovery.

The Puthukkad police registered a case against Ranjith, who was riding the bike, without considering the role of poor road maintenance by the National Highways Authority.

Sanjith, who was working at the Rajagiri Hospital canteen, had just finished his shift on April 30 when the accident occurred near Amballur. He underwent emergency surgery the same day, during which his right leg had to be amputated above the knee.

Even as Sanjith and his family struggled with the trauma, several visits to the police station brought no relief. Eventually, his father filed a complaint with the Irinjalakuda DySP, after which the district police chief directed Puthukkad police to conduct a detailed inquiry into the case that had already been charge-sheeted. The family is now preparing to submit a complaint before the magistrate on Monday.

Locals, led by panchayat member K.P. Chackochan, raised funds for Sanjith’s treatment. Ranjith too suffered severe leg injuries in the accident. With their house located on a steep elevation, the family was forced to shift to a rented home, as Sanjith could no longer climb the slope. The family now depends on Ranjith’s meagre earnings to cover medical expenses and daily living costs.

Sanjith has demanded that his brother be cleared of wrongful charges and that he needs to be provided with fair compensation for the suffering caused by the negligence of authorities.