Bus accident in Kottayam: Injured 18-year-old teen succumbs to injuries

KOTTAYAM: A woman who was seriously injured in a road accident in Chandakavala succumbed to her injuries on Saturday. Anjali, 18, daughter of Ajayan, died in the incident. Five women, including Anjali, were seriously injured after a bus rammed into the footpath. Anjali's life was maintained with the help of a ventilator in the surgical ICU of the Kottayam Medical College Hospital. During treatment, the condition worsened, resulting in her death. Anjali was an employee of a private firm near Chandakavala. She was living with her maternal aunt after the death of her mother.

The accident occurred around 7 PM yesterday. A bus named 'Thandapra,' plying from the Nagambadam stand towards Changanassery, rammed into pedestrians after the speeding bus veered onto the footpath. Locals and the Fire Force had to work hard to extricate those trapped beneath the bus.

A major tragedy was averted after many people ran away after spotting the speeding bus coming towards them. Locals said that the bus was speeding. Traffic was disrupted for a considerable time following the incident, and the injured are currently undergoing treatment at various hospitals.

The bus driver and conductor are in police custody. The police and the Motor Vehicles Department have launched an investigation into the cause of the accident. There was moderate rain in the area at the time of the incident. Since a long time, passengers have complained about the reckless driving of private buses in and around Kottayam, and yesterday's accident vindicated the claims.