Alappuzha: Kerala Police has submitted a report to the court, naming one of the students as the accused in the tragic accident that claimed the lives of five medical students in Alappuzha on Monday (December 2, 2024).
The mishap occurred when a car carrying 11 first-year MBBS students from Government Medical College, Alappuzha, collided with a KSRTC bus killing five and injuring six others. The latest police report replaces the initial FIR that had held the KSRTC bus driver responsible for the collision.
According to the investigation by Alappuzha South police, G Gourishankar, a resident of Kannankulangara in Tripunithura was driving the car at the time of the accident. The report states that the collision occurred as Gourishankar attempted to overtake another vehicle.
"While overtaking, he could not accelerate enough to complete the manoeuvre. At the same time, a KSRTC bus approached from the opposite direction, forcing him to apply the brakes suddenly," police said. This caused the car to lose control, veer to the right, and collide with the bus.
The Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) stated that Gourishankar's vision may have been impaired by the bright lights of a car overtaking the KSRTC bus from the opposite direction. Officials also confirmed there was no lapse on the part of the KSRTC driver.
Action against vehicle owner
The Kerala MVD has announced action against the owner of the vehicle involved in the crash. A senior MVD officer said the vehicle's registration would be suspended. "If the vehicle is used for hire or reward without a valid permit, its registration can be suspended under Section 53 of the Motor Vehicles Act," the officer explained.
Investigators also revealed that the vehicle owner, identified as Shamil Khan from Alappuzha Valanjavazhi, did not possess a license to rent out the car. Police also discovered that Gourishankar had rented the vehicle for Rs 1,000, paid through Google Pay. "The statement provided by the owner to the police and MVD was false," authorities confirmed.
The police and MVD will collect transaction details from the bank, and the registration certificate (RC) of the vehicle will be cancelled. "A report will be submitted to the court for initiating prosecution against the owner, the senior official added.
Condition of injured students
The condition of four of the five medical students who sustained serious injuries in the accident has improved, according to the bulletin issued by the Government Medical College, Alappuzha, on Wednesday.
One More Medical Student Dies
One more medical student died in the accident at Kalarcode, Alappuzha, said an official of the hospital where he was admitted. Alvin (20), a native of Edathwa is the deceased. With this, the death toll in the accident has reached six. Alvin passed away at a hospital in Ernakulam. He had suffered serious injuries to his brain and internal organs.
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