Victims of killer truck at Congress rally laid to rest amid outpouring of grief

Thiruvananthapuram: Thousands of stunned locals and family members bade a sad farewell on Friday to the seven people who died when a truck ploughed into a political rally of Congress workers at Pothanikkad, near Kothamangalam, in Ernakulam district on Thursday evening.

While it was initially believed that failed brakes led the truck to barrel into the crowd, a report submitted by district collector Mohammad Hanish to the state government has reportedly pointed to an error on the part of the driver.

Early reports had also downplayed speculation that the truck driver had been under the influence of alcohol when the accident occurred.

The mortal remains of the seven activists were kept in a local auditorium to allow members of the public to pay their last respects.

Thousands pay respects

Tens of thousands of Congress supporters, local people and family members of the deceased filed past the bodies while they were kept for the public to pay their homage.

V.P. Pathrose (47), Kakkathottathil Iype (52), Easow Abraham (62), T.T. Kuriakose (78), Prathish Kuriakose (19), M.K. Kuttappan (45) and Kozhippat Varghese (65) were later laid to rest after the last rites were held at their homes.

About thirty others were seriously injured in the accident and are being treated at various hospitals in and around Kothamangalam.

Opposition leader Oommen Chandy said it was deplorable that police were not at hand to direct traffic during the rally.

Even as the town mourned its dead, it remained unclear how the truck driver had lost control on a straight stretch of road and rammed into the crowd.

Incidentally, this is the second time in just over a year that such public grief has visited Kothamangalam. In February 2007, 15 school students and three teachers of the St Antony's Upper Primary School in Elavoor had drowned when their boat capsized while they were on a leisure trip at Thattekkad, near Kothamangalam.