Published Jan 18, 2025 | 10:44 AM ⚊ Updated Jan 18, 2025 | 10:44 AM
Bus accident. (Supplied)
A tourist bus carrying 49 passengers from Kattakkada Keezharoor overturned on a winding road at Irinjayam in Nedumangad, Thiruvananthapuram, on its return from a sightseeing trip, killing one person and injuring 40 others.
While most people have sustained injuries in the head area, one passenger, Dasini, a resident of Kavaloor, died, although her body showed no external injuries.
The accident occurred around 10:15 PM, on Friday, 17 January when the driver reportedly lost control of the bus while negotiating a sharp curve.
The bus which lost control on a sharp bend, overturned and fell onto a roadside drain, causing the slab to collapse and passengers to fall inside.
The sharp bend, a known accident-prone spot, and the bus’s high speed were cited as causes of the mishap.
While the crash was serious, the impact of the accident was significantly reduced due to the locals’ quick response.
Hearing the crash and screams, locals, including youth, rushed to the spot and began rescue operations alongside 25 ambulances and the Nedumangad fire brigade.
The injured were taken to the hospital within ten minutes. Police blocked the road to facilitate the rescue, and the people in the bus were cleared within an hour.
The injured passengers were quickly rushed to the Nedumangad District Hospital and the Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College Hospital with the help of locals, police, and the fire brigade.
Authorities of the Government Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram said that of the total people injured in the road accident, 25 people were admitted to Medical College Hospital and 10 children to SAT Hospital.
Minister GR Anil, also the local MLA, assured that rescue efforts were underway to lift the bus and check for anyone trapped beneath it. Health Minister Veena George also instructed the Medical College Superintendent to provide expert medical care for the injured.
Contrary to initial reports, which suggested that the bus was carrying schoolchildren, authorities clarified that the passengers were a group of residents from Kavalloor and Keezharoor in Aryamcode panchayat returning from a trip to Munnar.
While the cause of the crash is still under investigation, preliminary reports indicate that the driver, Arul Das, was not under the influence of alcohol.
According to his statement, the bus overturned while he was overtaking another vehicle at high speed on a sharp bend.
Eyewitnesses corroborated that the bus was speeding while attempting to overtake a lorry, leading to a loss of control and the subsequent rollover. The police also stated that the bus overturned due to the driver braking at the sharp bend.
Following the accident, Arul Das, a native of Ottashekaramangalam, fled the scene but was later found at a friend’s house after seeking treatment for a minor eyebrow injury at a private hospital in Kattakada. He is now taken into custody by the Nedumangad police.
A detailed investigation into the incident is underway. The Police and Motor Vehicles Department personnel are also set to conduct a joint inspection on Saturday, 18 January.
(Edited by Sumavarsha, with inputs from Dileep V Kumar)
