Four die as speeding bus hits autorickshaw in Kerala

Kochi: Four people, including three women, died when their autorickshaw was struck by a private bus near here on Monday, police said. The auto driver also died at the spot, police said. Police have booked the bus driver. The women who died in the crash are members of a family, according to police sources.

Police, Fire and Rescue Services personnel and local people had a tough time in retrieving the bodies as the autorickshaw was mangled and lying almost under the bus. The bodies could be taken out only after the bus was removed using a crane. The accident occurred at the Bank Junction at Angamaly when the women were going to a church. A CCTV visual shows the bus hitting the autorickshaw.

Locals staged a protest alleging that authorities including police were not taking any steps to check overspeeding by private passenger buses through the route. Eyewitnesses claimed a shop at the junction hindered the view of motorists. The driver could not see the autorickshaw entering the church road because of the shop, they said. Angamaly MLA Roji John and Angamaly municipal authorities said steps would be taken to demolish the structure.