India Adani Ports
Family of truck casualty left destitute as Adani’s Vizhinjam port makes ‘history’
Another life has been lost due to an accident allegedly caused by a truck working for Adani’s Vizhinjam Port. Authorities, politicians and the Adani Group have remained silent. A similar tragedy earlier this year – in the lead-up to India’s elections – resulted in visits to the victim’s family by politicians and representatives of the Adani Group. But with the elections out of the way, it seems there is little interest in the plight of the family of the latest casualty. Meanwhile, a woman who lost her leg due to yet another accident involving a Vizhinjam truck has received compensation – but the total barely covers the cost of her prosthetic leg.
Earlier this year, India’s mainstream media were entranced by the triumphant ‘history’ made by the opening of India’s first trans-shipment port – Adani’s huge Vizhinjam project in the southern Indian state of Kerala. In July, it was reported that Vizhinjam had received its first visit from a mothership, which then unloaded its cargo of 2000 containers for despatch to other centres. However, underneath the hype, there has been a much darker side to the Vizhinjam story.
Fahad, 11 years old, used to be a chatterbox but is silent now. Remembering his mother makes him despondent. His favourite activity used to be chatting with his mother, Ruksana, while she was cooking in the kitchen. It has been six months since Ruksana (35) was killed in a tip-truck accident. The child is still unable to accept her death. The face of Fahad’s elder brother, Muhammad Yasser (16), is also filled with sorrow.
A tragic accident took place on 7 May 2024. A tip-truck returning from Vizhinjam port after unloading granite allegedly attempted to overtake a motor scooter on which Ruksana was a pillion passenger. The tip-truck hit the rear of the scooter, throwing its occupants to the ground. The tip-truck ran over Ruksana as she landed on the road.
When the driver heard the screams of the people waiting for the bus at a nearby bus stop, he stopped his tip-truck. Despite the best efforts of the locals, Ruksana's life could not be saved. Saliha, the driver of the scooter, was fortunate to have escaped with minor injuries. The tip-truck driver was later arrested by police. The man's name has not been given in this article because the accusations against him will be heard by the courts; meanwhile, the responsibility for dealing with the aftermath of the tragedy lies not with him, but with the state government and Adani Ports.
Ruksana was a teacher at Shamsul Islam English Medium School in the Matanvila area of Thiruvananthapuram district. Both of Ruksana's children now live with her parents, Nasima and Salim. Muhammad Yasser is currently in grade 11 while Fahad Muhammad is in grade 6. Ruksana's husband Faisal has gone to the Gulf country for three months to find a job.
Killer tipper
From December 2020 to 7 May 2024, tip-truck KL24H7798, the vehicle that allegedly killed Ruksana, committed 116 traffic violations. The documents attesting to this can be found on the government's website. Police allege that excessive speed by this truck was the reason for the accident that caused Ruksana's death. The government documents reveal this is allegedly the driver's ninth violation with this tip-truck.
In other words, a tip-truck that has been cited 116 times for traffic infringements since December 2020 had been travelling the roads with relative impunity.
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Fines of only Rs 250 (US $3) were paid for 112 of the 117 infringements recorded. They were levied for reasons such as failure to fit a rear lamp, failure to fit a speed governor (a device for regulating the speed of the vehicle), failure by the driver to wear a uniform, and failure by the driver to wear a seat belt. Five other cases recorded a slightly higher amount. According to the notice issued on the day of Ruksana's teacher's death, the fine was only Rs 250 (US $3).
These failures of the state to ensure the safety of road users, and, in particular, its tolerance of chronic infringements by drivers and/or owners of truck KL24H7798, indicate that the state of Kerala bears a great deal of responsibility for Ruksana's death.
Only a few media reported that this tip truck was going to and from Adani’s Vizhinjam port site. Some observers believe that the police did not provide this information intentionally. A photo of the truck published by the media in the immediate aftermath of the accident shows a large sign that says 'Vizhinjam Port' on the inside of the front windshield.
The political context: Ananthu and Sandhyarani
Earlier this year, AdaniWatch reported that, on 19 March 2024, a 26-year-old dentistry student named Ananthu Ajikumar died after being struck by a boulder that fell from a tip-truck. The report also detailed the plight of Sandhya Rani (37), a teacher who had her right leg amputated after a tip-truck accident en route to Vizhinjam project in December 2023.
In the aftermath of Ananthu's death, a huge protest erupted. Ananthu's house is in front of the road taken by tip-trucks to Vizhinjam port. Locals threatened to blockade the trucks if no compensation were paid to Ananthu's family. This forced the Kerala state government to take up the case and pressure the Adani Group.
In the context of the then forthcoming elections in Thiruvananthapuram (on 26 April 2024), the ruling left-wing government in the state and the BJP-led Union government were urged to provide Ananthu's family with immediate justice.
The government feared that the people might turn against Vizhinjam port once again, and mount large protests such as those by fishing communities in 2022. As a result, government ministers and representatives of the Adani Group visited Sandhya Rani's house after a long period of neglect. The state government made many promises to Sandhya Rani in front of the media but nothing materialised. In the end, the Adani Group and the state government offered assistance only after Sandhya Rani complained about them 'not keeping promises' to the State Commission for Persons with Disabilities. In October 2024, the Adani Group paid Rs 4.9 million (US $60,000) as compensation for the accident to Sandhya Rani. In the meantime, she had had to spend 81% of that amount from her own resources on a prosthetic limb, with significant further expenses yet to be paid.
Officials of the Deputy Directorate of Education informed the State Commissionerate for Person with Disabilities that there was no provision in the Kerala Service Rules (KSR) to provide additional benefits to Sandhya Rani. The then state Commissioner, Mr. Panchapakesan, directed that the Disability Act be used for providing benefits. In response to Sandhya Rani's request to continue teaching, the Education Department created a supernumerary position (a temporary post that applies under special circumstances) for her. Sandhya Rani has been assured by the state government that she can resume teaching once she has recovered. She hopes to receive the written government order as soon as possible.
The artificial leg has still not been fitted because the wound contains fluid. Sandhya Rani spent 4 million INR (US $47,395) on the prosthetic limb before the Adani Group finally coughed up 4.9 million INR (US $60,000).
Regulatory failure?
As a result of Ananthu's death in March 2024, the government and district administration issued several guidelines to tip-truck drivers and the Adani Group. Additionally, the district administration assigned a special squad of the Motor Vehicle Department to curb speeding and prevent accidents. The government announced a limit on the amount of rock that can be loaded, a prohibition on tip-truck movements during students' travel times, and continued inspections. The district administration officer ordered the Adani Group to provide details of all tip-trucks working on its Vizhinjam project to the police.
Ruksana was killed by a tip-truck 45 days after these guidelines were published. After Ruksana's death, Transport Minister KB Ganesh Kumar sought an explanation from the Motor Vehicle Department officials. There has been no notification to Ruksana's family that any action has been taken by the minister's office.
Family believes Ruksana has been forgotten by authorities and Adani
Ruksana's parents fear that she has been forgotten by the authorities. When describing this situation to this correspondent, Ruksana’s mother, Nasima (58), openly wept.
It seems that, because it wasn't election season when the accident occurred, the government felt no political pressure to see that justice was done by the family. Ruksana’s fate was as tragic as that of Ananthu. However, the political parties ignored it. No ministers, MPs, party leaders or representatives of the Adani Group have visited her home. The family remains devastated by her death.
Six years ago, Ruksana took out a loan of four lakh Indian rupees (US $4800) to build a house. Ruksana’s family was behind on the loan repayments and was facing severe financial hardship. She worked part time decorating stages for weddings when her husband, Faisal, could not find a well-paying job. It was hard to make ends meet. Ruksana’s accident occurred when she was returning from an outing to buy roses to decorate a stage. Since her death, her children have been living with their grandparents and Ruksana’s house has been closed.
Ruksana's father, Salim (64), runs a small roadside shop selling tea, coffee and snacks. This is the family’s only source of income. Nasima explained that Ruksana's outstanding debt has now increased, due to interest, to seven lakhs (US $8280), and the house would be seized. The family is incapable of repaying such a large sum of money. Nasima now suffers from low blood pressure and dizziness, often needing to be hospitalised. The elder son of Ruksana needs funds for his education. Currently, Ruksana’s parents have 121 square metres of land and an unfinished house as their only assets.
Nasima and Saleem applied for relief from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund. Salim discovered that the application had been rejected when he inquired about its progress. A new application has been submitted and the family prays for a positive outcome.
