JEDDAH — An Indian student, who was critically injured in Friday's car accident, succumbed to his injuries here on Monday.
Lloyd Cheruvathur Samson from Al Falah International School (DPS Jeddah), who was at the intensive care unit of Soliman Fakeeh Hospital, died at around 2.15 p.m.
Lloyd's body will be flown to Thrissur district of Kerala for burial, according to family sources.
Lloyd was involved in the car crash when he was returning home after sitting for Grade 12 examination along with four students of International Indian School Jeddah.
The other four students, who also sustained serious injuries, are undergoing treatment at Al Jedaani Hospital and Soliman Fakeeh Hospital. They are Muzammil Ahmed (Lucknow), Usama Muhammad (Gujarat), Huzaifa Mahmoud Al-Bari (Lucknow), and Ajaz Muhammad (Hyderabad) from International Indian School Jeddah.
Lloyd is the son of Cheruvathur Samson George who works as accountant at Saudi International Trading and Marketing Company. His mother Philomina Samson worked with the Ministry of Health earlier. Steffi, his elder sister, is pursuing a course in architecture at SRM College in Chennai.
Teachers, students and staff members of Jeddah DPS and IISJ offered condolences on the death of Lloyd, who studied up to 8th grade at IISJ before enrolling at DPS.
DPS Jeddah Managing Committee Chairman Zia Abdullah Nadwi, members of the committee, teachers, students and staff members as well as IISJ managing committee and staffers offered condolences to the bereaved family. “Lloyd, a commerce stream student, was a very obedient and ideal student,” said Humaira Naseem, academic director of DPS.
Meanwhile, there was a tremendous response from the Indian community for a fundraising drive to meet the hospital expenses of Usama Muhammad whose treatment was not covered under medical insurance. B.S. Mubarak, consul general of India, is leading the fundraising drive. “It is our big concern that proper treatment should not be halted or delayed for want of money. It is wonderful to see that many organizations and individuals came forward to offer assistance,” he told Saudi Gazette.
Syed Masood Ahmad, principal of IISJ, said that doctors advised transfer of Usama, whose condition is still serious, to a hospital with better facilities. “The student needs some tests, which are not available at Al Jedaani Hospital. Hence, the student has been transferred to Soliman Fakeeh Hospital,” he said adding that the hospital demanded SR50,000 in advance.
“We have to meet the expenses of treatment at the hospital apart from clearing the bill at Al Jedaani that is amounted to around SR35,000,” he said while expressing happiness over the tremendous response from the community members to offer their contributions voluntarily.
IISJ Managing Committee Chairman Mohammed Abdul Raziq, who is also in the forefront of the fundraising drive, said that the managing committee will also contribute an amount on its own to meet Usama's hospital expenses.
IISJ teachers took the fundraising initiative under the banner of IISJ Staff Charity. They have formed a panel of three teachers to coordinate the drive. The panel includes — Harikhrishnan E.N (053 5827 398), Abid Hassan Khan (050 6570 938) and Muhammad Imran (053 2894 340). “We have made an advance payment of SR50,000 prior to referring the student to Soliman Fakeeh Hospital. The teachers' panel will negotiate with the hospital authorities to make the best medical care available at reasonable charges,” said Harikhrishnan.
The condition of three other students — Muzammil, Huzaifa and Ajaz ‚ has improved considerably. Ajaz regained conscience on Monday while Muzammil, and Huzaifa started speaking and responding well to treatment, according to hospital sources.
