Malappuram: A speeding truck ran over four youths killing three of them on the spot in Kottappuram near Valanchery in the wee hours of Sunday. The three deceased identified as Mohammed Noushad (23), Muhammed Ramseek (23) and Fasil (19) were standing by the roadside when the truck hit them. The only survived Nihal (20) was admitted to a private hospital in Perinthalmanna where he remains in critical condition. Both Ramseek, son of K. Abdul Nasar, and Fasil, son of Mulakkal Abu, hail from Valanchery and Noushad, son of C. Mustafa, from Kottappuram. All of them were workers of different shops in Velachery and active football players of a local sports club.
The police said the accident might have occurred when the driver dozed off. The driver of the cement loaded truck from Coimbatore ran away immediately after the incident and is still at large. A case has been registered against him and would be tracked soon, said Valancheri CI Suresh K.G.
The accident took place around 5 am near Kottappuram Juma Masjid when they were in a conversation after a football match by the side of Valancheri- Palakkad state highway. A bike belonged to one of them also severely damaged in the accident.
