Body of Karnataka techie flown to Bangalore

New Delhi, Jun 5 (UNI) The body of Manjunath Kalmani, a software engineer who died here yesterday after battling spinal injuries for six years following an accident in the US, was taken to Bangalore by plane by Karnataka government officials today.

The 33-year techie was flown to India three months ago in a vegetative condition for treatment. Paralysed from neck down after a car accident in Nashville in April 2002, he was brought to the country after treatment in the US.

Kalmani, who worked with a US company as a software developer before his accident, was laid off shortly before he met with the accident.

After his admission in Safdarjung Hospital, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and several people had provided funds for his treatment.

Acting on Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa's directions, state officials arranged for sending Kalmani's body to his home state. Karnataka deputy resident commissioner G R Manjesh got Kalmani's body embalmed at AIIMS before it was flown.

Relatives of the deceased accompanied the body.

From Bangalore, the body will be taken to Kalmani's native village Hoskera in Gangavathi taluk by road for the funeral.

UNI MCN RR UCS1952