KASARAGOD (KERALA): The 21-day lockdown to curb coronavirus has claimed a second life in Kasaragod, because of the stringent blockade at the border by Karnataka police.
Fathima (70), known as Pathunhi -- a native of Bantwal in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka -- died in the early hours of Sunday.
Fifteen days ago, she was visiting her granddaughter's house at Udyavara, just 1.5km from the border, at Manjeshwar in Kasaragod district of Kerala.
Around 6.45 pm, Fathima developed breathing difficulties and her relatives called in an ambulance. "We were on our way to the hospital at Deralakatte in Mangaluru, just 15 km from Pathunhi's house when Karnataka police blocked us at Talapady toll gate," said Aslam Kunjathur, the ambulance driver.
He pleaded with the Karnataka police for 15 minutes. "They said they do not need patients from Kerala," he said.
Despite informing the police that Fathima was from Bantwal, the gates were not opened for the vehicle to cross the border. The ambulance driver then tried an inroad at Kedumpady, but Karnataka police had put barricades there too. "I then tried to use private roads of people, but the resident on the other side of the border also blocked us," said Aslam.
He returned home with Fathima around 8 pm. "When I called the family around 6 am to check on her, they told me she died," he said. "I wish the Karantaka leaders showed some humanity," he said.
Fathima is survived by four children. Her husband Hassanappa passed away years back.
Kasaragod is witnessing second such death due to the lockdown after the Karnataka government shut the roads from Kerala on March 23 in a bid to contain the spread of coronavirus disease.
Abdul Hamid (60) of Kunjathur in Manjeshwar, died of a heart attack Thursday night. His family tried hard to take him to a Mangaluru hospital, 12 km from their house, but the police would not allow them in.
On Friday, Gauri Devi (25), a native of Patna, was forced to give birth in an ambulance because of the blockade.
According to the Ambulance Owners and Drivers Association (AODA), around 100 dialysis patients from Kasaragod depend on hospitals in Mangaluru. In a day, around 50 ambulances enter Dakshina Kannada from Kasaragod and another 50 from Kannur, the association added
On Saturday, Beefathima, who recently underwent a kidney transplant at Kasturba Medical College in Mangaluru felt dizzy and wanted an urgent checkup. An ambulance was called in. "We tried to go to Mangaluru but we were blocked. We went to Kasaragod, and there was no doctor to see a kidney transplant patient," said Aslam, who is the district secretary of the (AODA). In the end, Beefathima was taken to Kozhikode medical college, 250 km away.
We don't know when there will be a solution: Kerala minister
The Karnataka government's decision to keep out patients from Kasaragod is deplorable, said revenue minister E Chandrasekharan, who is heading the disaster management committee of the state.
The Kerala government has taken up the matter with PM Narendra Modi to find a solution, he said. The Prime Minister deputed BJP leader and Union minister Sadananda Gowda to hold talks with the new states, said Chandrasekharan. "Our chief minister apprised Gowda of the difficulties faced by the people. The CM tried to reach out to the Karnataka chief minister but so far there is no solution," he said.
People of Kasaragod, Kannur and Kozhikode, are dependant on Mangaluru for the medical care, he said. "This blockade is unprecedented and we have no assurance from Karnataka government that the blockade will be lifted," he said. "We don't know when there will be a solution. It is 100% in the hands of the Karnataka government," he said.
Several border villages in Delampady and Enmakaje gram panchayats in Kasaragod districts are also cut off from Kerala after Karnataka unloaded mud on the roads to prevent entry and exit. But these villages can be accessed only by first entering Karnataka.
The BJP Karnataka state president and Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel said a decision could be taken in a meeting to be held Sunday evening.
Manjeshwar block panchayat president A K M Ashraf said Kasaragod could be pushed into a humanitarian crisis if the blockade continued. "Too many people depend on the medical colleges in Mangaluru," he said.