Pathanamthitta witnessed a heart-wrenching tragedy early Sunday morning when a car carrying four members of a family collided with a bus transporting Sabarimala pilgrims at Murinjakal in Koodal. The victims have been identified as Konni Mallassery residents Mathayi Eappen, Anu, Nikhil, and Biju George. Among them were a newlywed couple, Anu and Nikhil, who were returning home after their honeymoon in Malaysia. Nikhil, employed in Canada, had accompanied his wife and family from Thiruvananthapuram airport when the accident occurred.
The collision, which took place at around 4:05 a.m. on the Punalur-Muvattupuzha state highway, is believed to have happened due to the car driver dozing off at the wheel. The bus, carrying pilgrims from Tamil Nadu, suffered minor damages, with its driver and a few passengers sustaining minor injuries. Emergency responders, including the police and fire services, used hydraulic cutters to retrieve the victims from the mangled car. Tragically, three men died on the spot, while Anu succumbed to her injuries at a private hospital in Pathanamthitta.
The bodies of the deceased are currently at local hospitals, awaiting the arrival of Nikhil’s sister from Kuwait before the final rites. This stretch of highway, reconstructed recently, has seen a spike in accidents, prompting residents to raise concerns about its safety. Calls for urgent measures to prevent further tragedies have grown louder in the wake of this devastating incident.
