In a gruesome accident, nine people were killed and more than 50 others injured when a tourist bus carrying school children rammed into a KSRTC bus at Vadakkenchery in the district in the early hours of Thursday.
Five of the dead were students of the Baselios Vidyanikethan School, Vettikkal, Mulanthuruthy, Kochi. The tourist bus was carrying 42 students and five teachers of the school to Ooty. The KSRTC bus was going to Coimbatore from Kottarakkara. There were 49 passengers in the KSRTC bus.
Mistimed overtaking
The accident took place when the tourist bus attempted to overtake a car. After ramming the KSRTC bus, the tourist bus overturned and landed in a marshy area.
Minister for Local Administration M.B. Rajesh said that five of the dead were students and three KSRTC passengers. One teacher was also killed in the accident.
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Among those dead were physical education teacher V.K. Vishnu, 33, higher secondary students Anjana Ajith, 17, and C.S. Immanuel, 17, and class 10 students Bonn Thomas, 15, Diya Rajesh, 15, and Elna Jose, 15.
The dead KSRTC passengers were identified as Rohit Raj, 24, from Thrissur, O. Anoop, 22, and Deepu from Kollam.
Several of those injured were in critical condition. They were admitted to Government Medical College, Thrissur, and District Hospital, Palakkad.
Also read: Vadakkencherry accident: Students under severe mental trauma, say doctors
Overspeed and possibly fatigued
Transport Minister Antony Raju told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram that the tourist bus was travelling well above the legal speed limit, an estimated 97.2 km per hour.
He said the driver was possibly fatigued. Preliminary information received by the government indicated that he had just returned after a three-day trip to Velankani.
The bus owner had assigned him for the long-distance drive with no allowance for sufficient rest to "squeeze profits". The owner also wanted quick turnarounds to expedite tour operations.
School authorities
Mr. Raju said the school authorities had ignored the Transport Department's circular that regional transport officials inspect the bus's fitness and verify the driver's track record before contracting a carriage for student tours. However, the school authorities failed to notify the transport department.
Mr. Raju said a slew of violations had caused the accident. He had tasked Transport Commissioner S. Sreejith to reach the spot immediately and conduct an enquiry.
Mr. Raju said the government would ensure that tourist buses adhered to road safety norms. It would also impound buses kitted out with blinding lights and deafening horns and sound systems. He said such illegal extra fittings impaired the driver's concentration and unnerved other road users.
Devasom Minister K. Radhakrishnan hinted that the State would likely compensate the victims. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who is on a European tour, would take the final call.
The Ministers said the police were yet to conclude the identification process. They will likely release the list of causalities soon.
