Vadakkencherry bus accident: Mulanthuruthy drowns in a sea of grief

Kochi: Baselios Vidyanikethan School, at Mulanthuruthy here, became a sea of sorrow when grieving friends, faculty and local residents came to pay their respects to five students and the teacher who died in the fatal bus accident at Vadakkencherry.

Their bodies were brought to the school for the public to pay homage at 3 pm.

Ministers Antony Raju, P A Mohamad Riyas, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan, Thomas Chazhikadan, MP, MLAs K Babu, Anoop Jacob, P V Srinijin, former MLAs M Swaraj, M J Jacob, V P Sajeendran, DCC President Mohammad Shias, CPM State Committee Member S Satish and others came to the school and paid their respects.

Mulanthuruthy and Thiruvaniyur are observing a hartal in the wake of the passing away of the children and their beloved teacher. Markets were closed in the afternoon. All the deceased are from these two areas.

The bodies of the nine deceased were taken to their native places after post-mortem.

The autopsy of four people was held at Palakkad District Hospital, while the post-mortem of five people was held at Alathur Taluk Hospital.

There were 42 students and five teachers on the tourist bus and 40 passengers on the KSRTC bus. Currently, two people are undergoing treatment at Thrissur Medical College Hospital and one at Nenmara Avitis Hospital said hospital authorities. No one is being treated for serious injuries, they said.

The deceased are V K Vishnu (33), a physical education teacher at the Vettickal Baselios Vidyanikethan School, Plus-Two students Anjana Ajith (17), C S Emmanuel (17), Class 10 students Chris Winter Bon Thomas (15), Diya Rajesh (15) and Elna Jose (15).

The bodies of the teacher and other students, except Elna Jose, will be cremated on Thursday. Her funeral is scheduled for Friday.