Kerala: 4 family members including newlyweds killed after car collides with Sabarimala bus in Pathanamthitta

Four family members, including a newlywed couple returning from their honeymoon in Malaysia, were killed in an accident in Pathanamthitta. The collision occurred early Sunday on the Punalur-Muvattupuzha state highway when their car reportedly crashed into a bus carrying Sabarimala pilgrims from Tamil Nadu.

Pathanamthitta: In a tragic incident, four members of a family including a newlywed couple, lost their lives when their car collided with a bus carrying Sabarimala pilgrims at Murinjakal in Koodal during the early hours of Sunday. The victims were Mathayi Eappen, Anu, Nikhil, and Biju George, all residents of Mallassery in Konni.

The accident occurred as the family was returning from Thiruvananthapuram airport. Anu, Biju's daughter, and Nikhil, Eappen's son, had just arrived at the airport following their honeymoon in Malaysia. Reports indicate that Nikhil was working in Canada.

The accident occurred at approximately 4:05 a.m. along the Punalur-Muvattupuzha state highway. Authorities believe the car crashed into a bus transporting pilgrims from Tamil Nadu, likely because the car's driver dozed off while driving. The bus driver and a few passengers sustained minor injuries in the incident. The accident involved a collision with a bus carrying pilgrims from Andhra Pradesh. The Maruti Swift car was completely destroyed in the crash. Rescue personnel had to cut through the wreckage to retrieve the passengers. Three men in the car died on the spot. Anu succumbed to her injuries at a private hospital in Konni.

Residents have claimed that accidents have become more common on this section of the Punalur-Muvattupuzha state highway since the road was recently reconstructed.