Overspeeding school vehicle rams in KSRTC bus; 5 children among 9 killed in Kerala's Vadakkancheri
The speeding tourist bus, in which the students of classes 10, 11 and 12 of Ernakulam Mulanthurutthi Vettikal Baselios School had gone on an excursion to Ooty, overturned after hitting the rear of the KSRTC bus.
FollowAt least nine people, including 5 children, were killed when a tourist bus carrying school children collided with a Kerala State Road Transport Corporation bus on the Palakkad-Vadakkancheri National Highway. Five of the deceased are students, one is a teacher, and three are KSRTC passengers. The tourist bus, in which the students of classes 10, 11 and 12 of Ernakulam Mulanthurutthi Vettikal Baselios School had gone on an excursion to Ooty, overturned after hitting the rear of the KSRTC bus.
The deceased students are Elna Jose (15), Chriss Winterborn Thomas (15), Diya Rajesh (15), Anjana Ajith (17) and Emmanuel CS (17). The dead teacher is Vishnu VK (33) from Inchimala, Mulanthuruthy. The deceased KSRTC passengers have been identified as Deepu, Anoop and Rohit.
According to eyewitnesses, the tourist bus had been speeding. Transport Minister Antony Raju informed that the tourist bus was travelling at a speed of 97.2 km per hour. The minister also blamed the school authorities for not communicating the details of the trip to the transport department in advance.
The motor vehicle department officials who visited the accident spot confirmed that the tourist bus had been speeding. Eyewitnesses said that the tourist bus overtook other vehicles on the way. The impact was so heavy that a portion of the KSRTC bus was lodged into the tourist bus.
About 40 injured people are currently undergoing treatment at Nenmara Avitis Hospital, Palakkad District Hospital, Alathur Crescent Hospital and Thrissur Medical College.
Kerala High Court takes up matter
The Kerala High Court took a suo motu case and asked the police and motor vehicle department to submit the fitness certificate of the bus. This was after the court examined photos of the bus and noticed that flashlights and horns that have been banned legally were found fitted to the vehicle. The court directed that such vehicles be impounded.
Chief Minister promises strict action
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed shock over the accident in Vadakancherry. While stating that the accident would be investigated in detail, the Chief Minister assured strict action against those violating road safety norms.
He further said that the Government would provide necessary medical assistance to the injured, and state government ministers are directly leading the relief efforts. 'We share in the pain of the families and loved ones of the deceased. We express our deepest condolences,' he said.
