BALARAMAPURAM: An elderly man met with a tragic end after he tried to avoid a pothole on the Balaramapuram- Kattakkada road on Saturday. The deceased has been identified as Ooruttambalam native Gangadharan (72), a retired army officer. Gangadharan was riding a scooter and fell on the road while trying to dodge a pothole. Soon after, an autorickshaw, that came from the opposite direction, ran over him, killing him on the spot. Gangadharan's wife Rajeshwari, who was with him, sustained serious injuries and is undergoing treatment at Medical College Ortho ICU. The accident took place near Thembamuttam junction at around 6 pm on Friday.

Gangadharan and Rajeshwari were going from Balaramapuram to the Eruvathoor region when they met with the accident. According to witnesses, Gangadharan fell on the road after his scooter overturned as he tried to dodge a pothole near the Thembamuttam Junction. It was at this time that an autorickshaw came from the opposite direction and ran over Gangadharan's head. Although Gangadharan was immediately rushed to the Neyyattinkara General Hospital, he could not be saved.