Elderly woman killed as KSRTC bus rams car, several injured

Kottayam: An elderly woman was killed in a collision involving a KSRTC bus, a pickup van and a car on the national highway at Karuvatta in Alappuzha district on Monday.

Saraswathy Amma, 72, a native of Asramam ward in Alappuzha municipality, who was travelling in the car was the deceased. Several others were injured in the accident that occurred around 7.30am. The bus, which lost control and hit the car, went on to hit a pickup van too.

Among those injured were Sreekala, 47, the deceased's daughter, her husband Rajagopal, 48, and their children Abhinand, 18, and eight-month-old Abhiraman. Local residents had to break open the car to rescue the injured. The KSRTC bus was heading towards Ernakulam while the car was on its way to Mannarasala temple in Haripad for the injured baby's ‘choroonu' function.

Left side of the car was completely destroyed and the deceased was sitting on that side. The pickup van's driver was rescued by breaking open the driver's cabin. The injured were admitted to Alappuzha medical college hospital. Around 11 KSRTC bus passengers were also injured. Traffic was disrupted along the national highway for a long time following the accident.