Balabhaskar was at the wheel during accident: five witnesses confirm

Thiruvananthapuram: Fiver persons have given their statements to the police that it was violinist Balabhaskar who was driving the vehicle when it met with an accident that claimed his life.

Rescue workers and local residents said that Balabhaskar was taken out of the driver’s seat.

Drivers of other vehicles that passed that way also gave a similar statement.

However, Balabhaskar’s wife Lakshmi had told the police that it was their driver Arjun who was at the wheel during the tragedy.

Following her statement, Balabhaskar’s family had submitted a plea to the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and DGP Loknath Beherea seeking a probe to unravel the mystery behind the accident.

Balabhaskar, who was seriously injured in the accident, succumbed to his injuries at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram on October 2.

Balabhaskar’s two-year-old daughter Thejaswini Bala, who was also in the vehicle, was killed on the spot.

The incident took place on the national highway near Pallippuram CRPF Camp Junction on September 25 morning. Balabhaskar’s car had rammed a tree on the right of the road after it lost control.

Balabhaskar, who suffered serious injuries to the head, spine and lungs, was subjected to two surgeries.

The family had travelled to Thrissur from Thiruvananthapuram on September 23 to offer some rituals at a temple there for Thejaswini Bala.

After the temple visit, they started their return trip to Balabhaskar’s house at Thirumala in the state capital by September 24 night.