Major accident in Kerala as bus rams into autorickshaw, four dead

The incident took place around 7 am on the National Highway at Angamaly Bank Junction in Ernakulam.
Major accident in Kerala as bus rams into autorickshaw, four dead
Major accident in Kerala as bus rams into autorickshaw, four dead
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It was early morning on Monday and Mary George (58), Mary (65) and Rosy (52) took an autorickshaw to go a church in Angamaly in Ernakulam district of Kerala. However, the fate of all four, including the driver, took a tragic turn. A private bus rammed into the autorickshaw, and all four passengers in the vehicle were crushed to death.

The incident took place around 7 am on the National Highway at Angamaly Bank Junction. In CCTV footage that has surfaced, the auto can be seen making a sharp turn onto the opposite lane, on which the bus was approaching at the same time. The bus then appears to veer slightly to the left and crashes into the auto. The bus then comes to a screeching halt in front of a shuttered shop on the roadside, crushing the auto and its passengers under it.

According to reports, since the auto had come under the bus, the police and fire and rescue personnel had to lift the bus using a hydraulic crane and retrieve the three-wheeler. Although the four victims were rushed to the hospital, the hospital authorities declared them brought dead. Mary (65) and Rosy (52) were sisters.

Speaking to TNM, Gracy, Chairperson of Angamaly Municipality, said two of the bodies were injured beyond recognition. “When we rushed to the spot in the morning, all we saw was the bus on top of the autorickshaw. The bodies of two women were mutilated,” she said.

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The driver and conductor of the bus reportedly fled the scene soon after the accident. Meanwhile, the Angamaly police have registered a case against the driver of the private bus under section 304 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code.

While the police are yet to file a detailed report of the accident, many by-standers in the area have been blaming a shopping complex, in front of which the accident took place. They have alleged that the building has been encroaching upon the National Highway and obstructing the view of motorists travelling down the road.

According to officials of the Angamaly Municipality, people in the area have been raising complaints about the shopping complex. “This building is located on a busy junction, very close to the road. In the past, people had raised complaints that the billboards of the shops in the building had been causing inconvenience to the motorists,” Gracy said.

However, she added, “I don’t believe that the building encroaching the road caused this accident.”

The local body officials said that the owner of the particular building has agreed to demolish it. “There are two buildings situated close to each other. We spoke to the owner of one of them. He has agreed to vacate the shops soon,” Gracy said.

The Bank Junction, where the accident took place, is one of the busiest spots in Angamaly. “There are four churches and a school in the vicinity. There is heavy traffic during peak hours. But an accident of this magnitude has not taken place here,” she added.

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