KSRTC driver deliberately hit bus against bike, claims brother of one of the dead riders

Palakkad: A shocking allegation has been raised over the tragic road accident at Kuzhalmantham in which two youths who were riding a bike were crushed under a bus of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) on Monday night.

The allegation has been made by K Sarath, brother of Sabith, who was one among the victims. According to Sarath, the driver of the KSRTC bus had deliberately run the government vehicle over the bike drivers.

Sarath claimed that the driver had entered into an argument with the two bikers some time before the accident. “The passengers on the bus are aware of this fact. We will file a complaint demanding a detailed investigation into the mishap,” Sarath told Manorama News.

Meanwhile, C L Ouseph, the KSRTC driver who was at the wheel of the bus that caused the accident, was arrested by the police. He is attached to the Vadakkanchery depot of the public carrier.

KSRTC had earlier placed Ouseph under suspension.

Visuals of the accident, shot by the dash cam of another vehicle, clearly shows that the KSRTC bus suddenly drifted to the right side of the road, trapping the bike between the bus and a lorry, Onmanorama reported on Tuesday.

The bus was trying to overtake the lorry from the left side.

When the bus turned towards the right, the youth riding the bike tried to avoid being hit by the bus, but ended up slamming the lorry. The bike then fell under the moving bus.

The video, aired by Manorama News channel, shows the rear wheel of the bus running over the bike and its riders. The bus was on its last trip to the Wadakkancherry depot.

The bus and the lorry were seized by the Kuzhalmandam police.