Four killed in three accidents in Kerala

Kozhikode/Kollam: Four persons were killed in three separate accidents in the state on Saturday.Two persons were killed and 15 sustained serious injuries when a minibus collided with a truck at Kondotty, Malappuram, early Saturday. A 17-year-old died at Mayanad in Kozhikode after his scooter collided head on with a private bus while a 14-year-old boy was killed near Palkulangara, Kollam, after the scooter on which he was travelling with his mother collided with another two-wheeler and he fell under a tipper truck.In the Kondotty accident, the deceased were minibus driver Raju (38) and a passenger, Ramani (60), both from Palakkad.The injured, some of whom serious, were rushed to Kozhikode Govt Medical College Hospital. The mini bus was heading towards Kottiyoor in Kannur when the accident occurred around 12.30am.Kondotty police registered an FIR and began an investigation.In the Mayanad accident that occurred around 8.15am, the deceased was identified as Ali Afaan of Melethattari. Video of the accident shows the scooter colliding head-on with a private bus. The boy was proceeding towards Mudikkal Thazham from the Medical College area when the accident occurred. Medical College police registered a case and began an investigation.Salman Faris, a ninth-standard student from Ayathil, was the victim of the Palkulangara accident.Kilikolloor police said the accident occurred on a narrow road currently used by vehicles travelling in both directions owing to the ongoing national highway construction work in the area.Salman’s mother Shamna was riding the scooter at the time of the accident. Preliminary investigation revealed that the scooter lost control while attempting to overtake a lorry. In the process, it reportedly collided head-on with another two-wheeler. Both the mother and the son were thrown off the scooter. Salman fell beneath a passing tipper lorry while the mother fell on the roadside. The truck ran over the boy and he died at the spot, police said.The body was shifted to the Govt Medical College Hospital, Parippally, for post-mortem examination. Police have registered a case of unnatural death and launched further investigation.