SG crushed between pickup, wall; driver likely didn't have licence
"A portion of the pickup had pierced his body from around the hips. It was almost at the point of separation," he said.
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By
Mohamed Muzayyin Nazim
Secretary General of R. Maduvvari Island Council Ahmed Aslam died after he was crushed between a pickup and a wall on Sunday, while questions have also been raised about whether the council employee who was driving the pickup had a licence to drive such a vehicle.
The incident took place around 12.10 pm. The 40-year-old Aslam was rushed to Ungoofaaru hospital for further treatment, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Information collected by Atoll Times from islanders and members of the council suggests that the incident took place:
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Some gift boxes received by the council were transported from the island port by pickup and the accident occurred while the pickup was attempting to enter the council's garage
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The pickup was being driven by a local council employee from the same island
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At that time, Aslam was inside the garage
"He was trying to drive the pickup into the garage when the accident happened. The rear portion of the pickup had pierced into the SG [Aslam]'s thighs to a great extent," said a member of the island council, who did not wish to be named.
"When [Aslam] got crushed for the first time in the pickup’s reverse path and the driver was told to move away, he panicked and hit reverse again," said another resident, who spoke from the island.
The council's vice-president, Ahmed Ashraf, told Atoll Times that when the pickup was being reversed to enter the garage, Aslam had happened to be standing between the pickup and the wall that houses the main garage door.
"A portion of the pickup had pierced his body from around the hips. It was almost at the point of separation," he said.
According to some islanders, the pick-up driver did not have a licence to drive a vehicle like a pickup at the time. When asked about the same, Ashraf also gave strength to the story. He, however, said it was yet to be fully confirmed.
"Earlier, the driver was not even driving a pickup," he said, pointing out that it was Aslam who had asked the employee to go to the port to check the gift boxes.
Another council member, who did not wish to be named, said he was sure the man had a driving licence, but did not know if he had a licence to drive a pickup.
"The police are verifying if he has a licence to drive a pickup," the member said.
When a police spokesman was asked if the pickup driver had a licence, he said, "We will look into i".
When Aslam, who earlier had worked in the Home Ministry passed away, he had left a widow and three children as heirs.
Following the death of SG Aslam of Maduvvari Council, which has an absolute majority in the main opposition PPM, the party also issued a statement expressing condolences to the family.
