Bus runs over sleeping migrant workers in Kerala: 2 dead, 1 critical

According to initial reports, the bus driver was unaware that people were sleeping nearby, when he started the bus.
Bus runs over sleeping migrant workers in Kerala: 2 dead, 1 critical
Bus runs over sleeping migrant workers in Kerala: 2 dead, 1 critical
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In a tragic accident, a private bus ran over three migrant labourers who were sleeping next to it while it was parked in a public ground in Kerala.

The incident happened in the wee hours of Sunday in Mannarkad in Palakkad district. Three migrant labourers – Belly, Suresh and Ragesh – all Chattisgarh natives, were sleeping next to the bus while it was parked on the Kunthipuzha maidan.

According to initial reports, the bus driver was unaware that people were sleeping nearby, when he started the bus to begin the day’s first trip at 5am. He then ran over the three men.

While Belly and Suresh died on the spot, Ragesh has been admitted to a hospital with severe injuries.

According to the police, the three men were involved in constructing a borewell in the vicinity. Reports say that Belly and Suresh were 18 and 16 years old respectively, while Ragesh is 20.

In the CCTV visual of the incident retrieved from a nearby shop, the driver can be seen switching on the lights inside the bus and then the tail lamp of the bus. The driver then slowly reverses the bus and that is when he runs over the sleeping men.

Mannarkad traffic SI told TNM that the bus ran over the three men’s heads, crushing two of them to death.

After hours of search, the police have now taken the driver of the private bus into custody. The driver has been charged under section 304(a) – causing death by negligence.

Police say that the migrant labourers have been involved in constructing borewell near Kodathippadi for the past few days and were employed by a contractor. Police say that although the contractor had arranged for accommodation for the workers, the latter did not go there on Saturday night.

"May be because they were working at a place close to the ground, they decided to sleep there last night," Mannarkad traffic SI said.

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