May Day was widely cherished across the world as ‘Labour Day’ and it celebrates the special achievements of workers across the globe. While it was a holiday for most employees, Shivakumar sincerely did his duty as it was no holiday for him.
Shivakumar was supplying pressure cookers manufactured from an industrial estate to a shop at Huliyaru, Karnataka. After a long 97-km drive, Shivakumar suffered a cardiac arrest near his destination around 12 noon after which he lost his consciousness while driving the car.
His 10-year-old son, Puneerth, who was seated alongside him in the vehicle, did not understand what had actually happened but also displayed the immediate presence of mind as he prevented the accident.
Despite the boy’s quick thinking, his father drew his last breath while he was seated next to him.
The boy broke into tears after realising that his father suffered a cardiac arrest and would be no more. Puneerth is a student of class 5 at a government primary school at Allalasandra, was spending some quality time in enjoying the summer holidays while accompanying his dad to work.
While Shivakumar chose to work on May Day, his wife Munirathnamma took leave. “She works in a garment factory at Goraguntepalya in Bengaluru and the factory had declared leave. We have not informed her about her husband’s death as of yet,” Gowramma, a relative, told The New Indian Express.
Shivkumar’s mother-in-law by the name of Sundaramma claimed his dead body on the evening of May 1. “He was a good man and focused on his job always. It’s unfortunate that he died at a young age leaving behind his family,” said Tejaraju, a neighbour.
Huliyaru police sub-inspector named Lakshmikanth notified TNIE that since it was a natural demise, the body will be released after autopsy.