Nine people, including a 12-year-old boy, were killed and four others injured near the Valparai-Pollachi Ghat road in Tamil Nadu on Friday when a minibus carrying a group of teachers and students from Kerala lost control and fell into a ravine.
The group, from the government primary school in Kerala’s Malappuram district, was traveling to Athirapally and Pollachi, as part of a summer holiday trip, when they met with the fatal accident.
“Nine people have been identified as dead and four others injured have been shifted to Coimbatore Medical College Hospital. We have learned that there were 13 people in the truck including the driver,” Chittoor Police Deputy Inspector Kotikrishnan told reporters.
“The minibus reportedly skidded from the Ghat Road near Turn No. 13 and fell into a gorge and landed near Turn No. 9. The group was traveling from Valparai to Pollachi when the accident occurred. The causes of the accident are not clear at present,” he added.
The deceased were identified as Ajitha (54), the school principal, Ramla (52), Sahara (43), Asha (41), Majeed (43), Sajita (45), Shakeela (37), Ruqaya (39), and Hisham (12). Most of the deceased are government school teachers.
Gopalan, a faculty member at the school, told reporters that the group left for a day trip on Friday morning.
“I was also invited to this trip, but for personal reasons, I could not go. Our employees make such summer trips every year,” he said.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed his condolences over the death of the school staff and promised all government assistance as part of the medical treatment of the injured.
Kerala Public Education Minister Sivankutty said the ministry had contacted its counterparts and police officials in Tamil Nadu.
“I have contacted the Tamil Nadu administration office and requested adequate assistance to those affected by the incident. We are in constant touch with IAS officers in Pollachi and Coimbatore districts. The government will extend all assistance to the families of the deceased,” Sivankutty said.
