Mangalore: Shocked Suratkal Awaits Arrival of Bodies of Accident Victims
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SP)
Mangalore, Apr 22: The family members of the six from a single family, who lost their lives due to the carelessness of mining truck drivers, are struggling to come to terms with the tragedy that has hit them all of a sudden. The bodies of Michael Francis Serrao (50), his wife Anita Serrao (45), children Sweety Serrao (12) and Shawn Serrao (2) and those of Michael's brothers Thomas Serrao (38) and Clifton Serrao (32) are expected to arrive at their home in Kana, Suratkal today. The grieving relatives of the deceased have not been able to muster the courage to convey information of the accident to Rita, mother of the deceased, who is recovering after a cardiac surgery and also their old father, Francis (74). They have just been told that there had been an accident.
It may be recalled, that the brothers, who own three workshops in Kalyan Mumbai, were on a visit to their home town to spend summer holidays and attend some other works. At around 6 am on Tuesday, April 21, their car met with an accident at Junjanabail Cross near Kalghatagi, Hubi. It is gathered, that a truck carrying iron ore had met with an accident and hit a roadside tree. The driver of another truck which also was laden with ore that was moving ahead of the ill-fated car, suddenly applied brakes to have a look at the stranded truck. As the car in which Michael and family was travelling were also forced to stop the car suddenly because of the said unexpected development, another mining truck which was following the car, did not slow down and crushed the car, turning the car into a ball of mangled metal and killing all its six occupants.
Thomas
Michael Serrao, Anita, Sweety
Shawn
Reportedly, Thomas was driving the car at the time of the accident. Cash and gold ornaments worth around two lac rupees were recovered from the car.
The family of Francis Serrao was poor and Franis Serrao and Rita had raised their children by growing vegetables in a small piece of agricultural land they own, apart from dairying activity. Out of the five sons and two daughters of the couple, Michael was the eldest son. Thomas was their second son while Clifton was the fourth. Their third son Melvyn also runs a workshop along with Michael at Mumbai and his family had not joined others in their trip to the native place. Wife and children of Thomas too remained at Mumbai. Last son Maxim had gone abroad a year ago, on employment.
Rita Serrao had undergone cardiac surgery recently and the visit to Suratkal was planned by the family to visit Rita who is convalescing and also to consider the marriage plans of Clifton. The family also had planned to remove a tumour that had grown in the hand of Michael's son in a hospital in the city through surgery. Melvyn stayed back to look after the workshop business during the absence of his brothers.
Michael, who too grew up in penury, completed his education in Suratkal, before migrating to Mumbai and opening a workshop where welding, grills works etc., were conducted, about 20 years ago. Later, he brought his brothers to Mumbai and opened separate workshops for them there. The four brothers worked with mutual cooperation and adjusted the visits and working hours depending on the workload.
The funeral of the people killed in the accident is proposed to be conducted after the arrival of Maxim from abroad. but sources confirmed daijiworld that, Funeral Cortege leaves residence in Kana at 3.00 pm on April 22, 2009 to Sacred Heart Church, Surathkal.