Truck-bus collision near Aluva leaves 39 injured

Kochi: In a major accident involving a multi-axle truck and a private bus, 39 passengers were injured at Ettekkar, near Aluva, on Monday. Many of them suffered severe injuries and a woman has been put on ventilator support at a nearby private hospital.The bus travelling to Kolenchery from Aluva had a head-on collision with the truck around 2.45pm.The front portion of the bus was completely damaged in the impact of the collision. "As per preliminary information, 39 persons, including the bus driver, suffered injuries. The bus was descending a slope and a truck came opposite it. The road in the area is quite narrow with a ‘S' curve. There is a transformer on the roadside," the station house officer of Edathala police station told TOI. "The injured have been admitted to Rajagiri Hospital, Ernakulam medical college, Carmel Hospital and Good Samaritan Hospital," he added.According to officials of Rajagiri hospital, where 32 people have been admitted, the condition of four is serious. "Aiswariya Mani, 28, of Kodenchery in Kozhikode suffered serious injuries on head, face and right leg and has been put on ventilator support," said the official. "Jesma, 24, from Pazhanganad suffered major injuries to her backbone and right leg and underwent an urgent surgery. Eliamma, 86, of Ramamangalam, who suffered injuries on chest and ribs, is under treatment at the surgical ICU. Bus driver Prasad, 39, of Pallikkara has injuries on the head and hand," the official added.Local residents started rescue operations immediately after the accident. "The truck was negotiating another vehicle parked on the roadside. Residents shifted the injured passengers to various hospitals immediately. Edathala panchayat's ambulance was pressed into service. Owners of several private vehicles passing through the area also helped shift the injured to hospitals," said Edathala panchayat member K K Rafeeq. "The area is prone to accidents due to a curve and the narrow road. Two to three years ago, accidents were frequent," he added.A bus worker said that a yellow pick-up autorickshaw was parked on the narrow and curved roadside when the accident occurred.