Two Women Killed, 18 Injured as Private Bus Hits Four Vehicles in Kerala's Thrissur
A private bus collided with four vehicles near Kunnamkulam in Kerala's Thrissur district on Thursday afternoon, killing two women and injuring 18 people, including two who are in critical condition.
The accident occurred around 2.30 pm at Parembadam, near a petrol pump. According to police, the bus first hit an oncoming car, then collided with three more vehicles, including a motorcycle, before crashing through the compound wall of a house and coming to a halt.
The deceased were identified as Riya Fathima, 17, of Porkulam, and Thankamani, 72, of Kunnamparambu. Fathima was travelling in a car and died on the spot. Thankamani was riding pillion on a motorcycle.
The motorcycle was also carrying Thankamani's son-in-law, Jobin George, 42, of Kanipayyur, who sustained critical injuries and is now in the intensive care unit of a private hospital in Thrissur. A passenger, Naseema from Chalissery, was seriously injured and admitted to another private hospital in Karukutty.
Local residents and passers-by reached the scene soon after the crash and helped shift the injured to nearby hospitals before emergency services arrived. Police and residents jointly carried out rescue operations. No one was standing in front of the house whose compound wall was damaged, averting a larger tragedy.
Residents alleged that the bus was travelling at excessive speed. They also pointed to long-standing issues of reckless driving and competition among private buses operating on the route, often linked to pressure to maintain schedules. They demanded stringent action against those responsible and stricter enforcement of speed limits and safe driving norms.
