In multiple mishaps, Kerala volleyball star, 5 others perish

Thiruvananthapuram: Only a few months after India’s road violation fines were hiked steeply to rein in rash driving and the general apathy towards safety measures while driving, road accidents are continuing to claim significant numbers of lives in Kerala.

On Sunday evening, a volleyball player was killed in the south of the state, and four others who were travelling in an autorickshaw were killed on Monday morning when a bus smashed into their vehicle and stopped only after crashing into the wall of an electronic gadgets shop in Angamaly. A bike rider in Kochi also lost his life on Monday.

State volleyball player, JS Sriram, 23 died at Chadayamangalam, about 40km from the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. Sriram was returning home on his bike after a volleyball game at Venjaramood when the mishap occurred around 11pm on Sunday. His bike collided with a state road transport corporation bus.

Sriram has represented Kerala in youth volleyball competitions. He was a student of history at the Nilamel NSS College, and has a brother.

Those killed in the autorickshaw-bus smash in Angamaly were identified as Panangattuparambil Joseph, 55, Mary George, 60, Mary Mathai, 65, and Rosy Thomas, 55.

The bodies were extricate from the autorickshaw with great difficulty by rescuers and passers-by. Part of the electronics shop was also damaged when the bus smashed into its wall after hitting the autorickshaw.

The four deceased persons were returning after attending a memorial service of one of their relatives. The bodies were taken out after a crane was brought to the site to lift the private bus that was involved in the accident.

In another accident in Marad, Kochi a 39-year-old bike rider, identified as Dhanraj from Tamil Nadu was killed when a truck hit his bike.

More than 4,000 lives are lost in Kerala in road accidents each year. This has prompted the state government to undertake a number of awareness campaigns to improve road safety measures.