Hyderabad: Kamalla Gurunatham, the 27-year-old private driver of Abdullapurmet tahsildar, Ch Vijaya Reddy, who suffered burn injuries in his valiant attempt to rescue her, also got engulfed in flames, succumbed after battling for 20 hours at the Apollo DRDO Hospital in Kanchanbagh on Tuesday.
Gurunatham, a native of Velidanda village in Suryapet district, was the eldest of three sons of K. Brahmaiah. Gurunatham discontinued education while pursuing graduation. After quitting college, he moved to Hyde-rabad and started working as a driver with Tahsildar Ch Vijaya Reddy. He was residing in a rented house at the Weaker Section Colony in Mansoorabad of LB Nagar for last nine years.
Three years ago, he got married to Soundarya. The couple was blessed with a boy, who is around one-and-a-half years. Soundarya is currently eight months pregnant.
On Monday, K. Suresh set Vijaya Reddy ablaze inside her chamber. Sure-sh, who also suffered burn injuries, ran away, leaving behind Vijaya, who was engulfed in flames. Hearing her screams, Gurunatham tried to rescue her, but the fire enfulged him too. He suffered about 80 per cent burn injuries.
Brahmaiah, deceased man’s father, said, “My son was working with the Tahsildar for last nine years. He was hopeful of getting a government job. He told us there were chances of his job may get permanent as government had plans to provide a driver for Tahsildars.”
“He came home last time to cast his vote during Huzunagar by-poll. My son tried to rescue his employer and died in the act,” a sobbing Brahmaiah said.
Abdullapurmet revenue assistant, M Prabhakar, said, “Though he received severe burn injuries, Gurunatham did not bother about himself and asked me to arrange an ambulance for the tahsildar. We had lost her by then. We have lost him too, now.”
Prabhakar handed `1 lakh cash on behalf of revenue department officials as an immediate relief for the family to perform final rites. “He died while unde-rgoing treatment at Apollo DRDO Hospital at about 10.27 am. After autopsy at the Osmania General Hospital, the body was handed over to family members,” said S Devender, Abdullapurmet inspector.
Meanwhile, the accused, Kura Suresh, continues to be in a critical condition at the OGH. Two others who sustained minor burns and are being treated at different hospitals.
