Thiruvananthapuram: In a shocking turn of events on Friday, nine people including a 12-year-old boy perished when the school minivan they were traveling in plunged into a gorge in Tamil Nadu’s Valparai-Pollachi ghat road section. Four other passengers were injured and rushed for treatment.
The ill-fated group hailed from the Government Lower Primary School in Malappuram district, Kerala. They had set off for a summer vacation excursion covering Athirappilly and Pollachi.
Chittoor deputy superintendent of police Kuttykrishnan updated the press, confirming the toll of nine dead and four hospitalized at Coimbatore’s Medical College hospital. The van reportedly carried 13 people, driver included.
He described how the minivan skidded off near hairpin bend 13 before landing near bend 9. The travelers were heading from Valparai to Pollachi, but the accident’s cause is still under investigation.
The deceased include school head-mistress Ajitha (54), Ramla (52), Suhara (43), Asha (41), Majeed (43), Sajitha (45), Shakeela (37), Rukhiya (39), and young Hisham (12). Most were teachers at the institution.
Non-teaching staffer Gopalan informed reporters that the party left for the day-long trip Friday morning. He was invited but skipped it for personal reasons, highlighting that annual summer excursions are a regular affair for the staff.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed condolences for the school staff’s demise and assured full governmental help for the injured’s medical care.
Kerala general education minister V Sivankutty said his department liaised with Tamil Nadu officials and police. He contacted the Tamil Nadu CM’s office for aid and kept in touch with IAS officers in Pollachi and Coimbatore. The government would provide all support to the families of the deceased, he added.
Also Read: US Renews Waiver Allowing India To Buy Russian Oil Days After Saying It Won’t
-
-
-
-
