MALAPPURAM: Five members of a family, including three women and a child, were killed and three others seriously injured when a bus collided head on with a mini van at Pongallur near Nilambur on Monday. The mishap took place at around 3.30 pm when a Nilambur-bound bus rammed into the van in which the family was travelling.
The deceased have been identified as Alungal Ali Akbar, 43, his sister Naseera, 30, daughter of Naseera, Diya, 6, Shifa Ayisha, 19, who is daughter of another sister of Ali Akbar and Shifa, 21, who is daughter of Akbar’s brother. Akbar was at the wheel. The family hails from Pongallur near Mambad. The family was on their way back home after visiting Akbar’s wife who was admitted to a hospital in Edavanna, few kilometers away from the the accident spot.
The injured, including two toddlers of Akbar’s siblings, were admitted to a private hospital in Perinthalmanna. According to the Police, the mishap took place when the mini van tried to overtake a car and it was crushed between the car and the speeding bus which was coming from the opposite direction. Four of the family died on the spot. Local residents, Police and fire and rescue personnel carried out the rescue operation. Four bodies have been kept at the District Hospital in Nilambur and one at MES Medical College in Perinthalmanna. The autopsy will be conducted on Tuesday, the Police said.
