Profound grief as children, home town bid farewell to Bindu, BJP protests near Kottayam MCH

KOTTAYAM: The body of Bindu of Thalayolaparambu, who died in the building collapse in Kottayam Medical College, has been cremated. Her son Navaneeth conducted the last rites. She was cremated in the compound of her house in Thalayolaparambu. The sight of Navaneeth crying, ‘Amma, don’t leave us and go' and her daughter Navami, who could not cry, saddened everyone. No one was able to console her husband Vishruthan and the children. She was cremated at 1 pm in the presence of a large crowd.

Her body was brought home at 10 am. Leaders, including opposition leader V D Satheesan and a large crowd, came to pay their last respects.

Minister V.N. Vasavan visited Bindu’s house in Thalayolaparambu and handed over Rs 50,000 as financial assistance for the funeral rites. Bindu's daughter Navami is scheduled to undergo surgery at the Medical College Hospital the next day, and the government will bear the entire cost.

The hospital development committee will offer Navaneeth a temporary job. Based on the District Collector’s report, the cabinet meeting scheduled for the 11th will announce financial aid for the family. The minister rejected the allegation that Bindu’s death was due to delayed rescue efforts. He clarified that she died from a head injury, not suffocation. He said he was at the scene from 11 a.m., and led the rescue operations, medical care, and the relocation of 360 patients from various wards to the new surgery ward.

Meanwhile, the Youth Congress and the BJP held a protest dharna and a demonstration at the Kottayam Medical College. Police stopped the protests. The Congress also staged protests at the health minister's house, demanding her resignation.