Three people were killed and five others injured after a tipper lorry crashed into a group of people waiting at a bus stop in Kottarakkara, Kollam district, on Monday.
The accident occurred at Mukkolimukku in Neeleswaram, where around 12 people were standing near the bus stop. Eight people were caught in the incident. Those who sustained serious injuries were shifted to the Government Medical College Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram for treatment.
According to eyewitnesses, the tipper lorry was travelling at high speed. The driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle while attempting to give way to an oncoming vehicle, causing the lorry to veer off the road and plough into the crowd.
The deceased have been identified as Harilal (54), a private college lecturer, Ajayakumar (45), and Parthip, a Class 10 student of Carmel School.
The lorry driver and cleaner were trapped inside the mangled vehicle and had to be rescued by cutting open the cabin. The vehicle, which was transporting soil, suffered extensive damage in the crash.
Three students were among those injured, though officials said their injuries were not serious.
Meanwhile, Kerala Transport Minister P. C. Vishnunath said that strict action would be taken to curb the increasing number of accidents involving tipper lorries in the state.
