Worker critical after van door accident

A WORKER was left fighting for his life after his neck was crushed by an automatic van door, Lefkoşa District Court was told last Friday.

Police officer Hüseyin Akkaplan told the court that Rao Adnan Saleem was sitting inside the back of a van in a warehouse in Hamitköy at around 9am on November 2 when the “automatic rear door closed down on the back of his neck, causing serious injury”.

Officer Akkaplan said the unconscious Mr Saleem was taken by ambulance to Dr Burhan Nalbantoğlu State Hospital, where he was treated for “life-threatening” spinal injuries.

Mr Saleem’s employer “NC” and colleague “YA” were arrested and brought before the court on the charge of “causing an accident by negligence”.

The pair were initially remanded in custody for one day. At a second hearing, Judge Nil Elodie Çeliker ordered that the suspects be released on conditional bail and banned from leaving the TRNC pending trial.