Four members of a family including two children traveling in an autoricksaw were killed in an accident after a tourist bus ferrying Sabarimala pilgrims collided with the vehicle in Chettiyangadi, Mallapuram district on Friday, December 15. The auto driver also died in the accident. Five other family members have sustained critical injuries and are availing treatment in Kozhikode.
The victims have been identified as Abdul Majeed (55), the auto driver; Muhsina (35); Tasneema (28); Raiza (3); and Rinsha (7). Muhsina and Tasneema are sisters. Both Raiza and Rinsha are Tasneema’s children. While four people died instantaneously, one of the injured lost their life on the way to the hospital.
The injured include Sabira (58), mother of the deceased sisters; Muhsina’s children Mohammed Mishal (11), Azha Fatima (4), Mohammed Azhan (4); and Thasneema’s younger son Raihan (1). Initially, the injured were rushed to the Government Medical College Hospital in Manjeri for urgent medical attention. However, they were later shifted to Kozhikode Medical College hospital.
The incident took place around 5.30 pm when the bus coming from Hosur had a head on collision with the autorickshaw coming from the opposite direction. The family were visiting their relatives in Pullur. While the victims are natives of Malappuram district, Tasneema’s family was settled in UAE. She visited Kerala last week for a vacation.