Terrible grief descends on Panga in Malappuram; Seven teachers among nine killed in tragic van accident in Valparai

VALPARAI: Nine Malayalees, including a child and seven teachers, died after a tourist van lost control on a hairpin bend in the scenic Valparai, in Tamil Nadu. The van fell to a depth of about 800 feet. Four people, including the driver, were injured. The tourist van was destroyed in the tragic accident. Two people in critical condition are undergoing treatment at Coimbatore Medical College.

Panga Parammal, GLP School, Headmistress Pulamanthole, Paloor, native Ajitha (55) and Panga natives Ramla (52), Ramla's son Hisham (12), Suhra (43), Majeed (43), his wife Ruqiya (39), Shakina (37), Asha (41), a native of Kolathur, and a cook Sajida (45), died in the accident.

The accident took place at 5.15 pm, 30 km from Pollachi, between Valparai and Pollachi. While descending on a road with 40 hairpin bends, the van lost control at the 13th bend, hit the guardrail and fell to the 9th hairpin bend.

The teachers were on a picnic from school on Friday morning. The group of 13, including the driver, set off in a traveller with the registration number KL 11 AM 7288, owned by Abdul Salam, a native of Perinthalmanna. There were two children in this group. After reaching Chalakudy, they went to Valparai via Malakkappara via Athirappilly. The accident occurred while returning from Valparai.

Ajitha has been the headmistress at the school for the past two years. Mother: Paruthiyil Meenakshi Kutty (Retd. Teacher) Father: Late K. Padmanabhan Nair. Husband: Sivaraghu (Retd. Spinning Mill Officer) Children: Abhirami, Avantika.

Asha (41), a native of Kolathur, has been a teacher in the school for a long time. Father: Retd. Police Officer Late Chandran. Mother: Chandramati. Husband: Jitesh. Children: Aishwarya, Akshara, Ashwath.

#Valparai Hill Station is 3,500 feet above sea level. Valparai is 100 kilometres from Coimbatore and 65 kilometers from Pollachi. It is surrounded by tea plantations.

#The climb after forty hairpin bends provides a spectacular view. People can catch a glimpse of Aliyar Dam.

# The traveller lost control at the 13th bend and fell into the 12th bend. From there, it skidded and fell into bends eleven, ten, and then reached the ninth bend. It landed on the protective wall of the ninth bend in such a way that half of the vehicle was facing the ravine and the other half facing the road. There is a difference of eight hundred feet from the 13th bend to the ninth.

The school bus driver, Noushad (39), Shahdin (11), Masneen (10), and the tempo traveller driver, Mohammed Fasith (22), are undergoing treatment at the hospital. Except for Masneen, all three are seriously injured. Masneen is being treated at the Taluk Hospital in Pollachi, and the others at the Coimbatore Medical College.