NSC Bose Road eviction drive: Elderly hawker faints while chased, dies at hosp

THE death of M Krishnaveni, a 63-year-old fruit vendor, during an eviction drive on NSC Bose Road on Thursday morning, sent shock waves among the public and led to protests from other hawkers.

-  SUBASHINI VIJAYAKUMAR

The woman had fainted while trying to save her fruit basket as corporation and police authorities were chasing her, and died soon after at a city hospital.

According to her fellow vendors, the deceased had been selling fruits on NSC Bose Road since her youth, and had been living on the platform with her son who has a mental illness.

Corporation and police officials, however, said that her death was not connected to the eviction drive and she fainted not near the spot where the eviction was conducted. She probably died due to her health conditions and a postmortem will be conducted to ascertain the exact reason, officials said.

R Bhakiyam (68), a fruit seller, said that Krishnaveni fainted while running into one of the lanes when the vendors were chased by the officials.

She was given water by other vendors and was taken to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, where she died soon after.