Tourist bus carrying students hits state bus in Kerala, nine killed

Nine people were killed and 38 others were injured after a tourist bus carrying students crashed into a Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus at Mangalam, near Vadakkenchery area of Palakkad, Kerala minister M B Rajesh said on Thursday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday expressed grief over the loss of lives in Kerala’s Palakkad bus crash incident and announced Rs 2 lakh as ex-gratia each from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of the deceased.

The horrific road accident occurred after the tourist bus rear-ended into the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus. The tourist bus carrying students and teachers of the Baselios Vidhyanikethan School was headed to Ooty from Ernakulam, while the KSRTC bus was on its way to Coimbatore.

The deceased include five students, one teacher, and three passengers from the KSRTC bus.

A total of 38 people have been admitted to the hospital.

“Five people sustained serious injuries, but they are said to be out of danger,” Rajesh said.

Extending condolences to the bereaved families, Prime Minister Narendra Modi prayed for a quick recovery of the injured. 

“PM Narendra Modi has expressed grief over the loss of lives due to an accident in Kerala’s Palakkad district. He extends condolences to the bereaved families and prays for a quick recovery of the injured,” Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a tweet.

“Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs 50,000,” it added.

Previously, in another instance from Uttarakhand, as many as 32 people were killed and eighteen injured in the Pauri Garhwal bus accident, informed the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) on 4 October.

Pushkar Singh Dhami announced financial assistance to the kin of the deceased in the Uttarkashi and Pauri Garhwal tragedies.