T’puram: The body of a 67-year-old autorickshaw driver, who went missing after his vehicle overturned into a swollen stream at Vettinadu amid heavy rain, was recovered on Wednesday morning, four days after the accident.The deceased was identified as Vidyadharan, of Kuttiyani. His body was found among dense screw-pine bushes near Kattiyad bridge at Mudakkal in Attingal, around 17km from the spot where he was swept away.The accident occurred around 6.30pm on Sunday on the Vettinadu-Kuttiyani road. Vidyadharan and his wife, Lathakumari, were returning home in the autorickshaw after attending a wedding when the vehicle plunged into the stream.Heavy rain had caused water to overflow onto the road, making it difficult to distinguish the road from the adjoining stream. The autorickshaw overturned into the waterbody. While locals managed to rescue Lathakumari, a former member of Vembayam grama panchayat, Vidyadharan was swept away by the strong current.Fire and rescue personnel from the Thiruvananthapuram and Attingal units, including scuba teams, joined police personnel and locals in an extensive search operation.After three days of intensive efforts, Vidyadharan’s body was spotted on Wednesday morning nearly 17km downstream from the accident site, trapped among thick vegetation near Kattiyad bridge.The police completed the inquest proceedings, following which the body was shifted to Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital for autopsy.
About The Author
