Five including two children killed as lorry runs over people sleeping on roadside in Thrissur

THRISSUR: Five including two children were killed after a timber lorry rammed over a group of people sleeping on the roadside. The accident happened Tuesday early morning around 3 am at Nattika in Thrissur. The lorry carrying timber lost control and ran over the sleeping people. The dead were nomads.

The accident happened on a flyover on the national highway near J K Theatre in Nattika. The flyover was covered with a barricade as construction work was underway. Th timber lorry proceeding towards Kochi from Kannur ran over the 11 people sleeping on the roadside.

The dead have been identified as Kaliyappan (50), Jeevan (4), Nagamma (39) and Bengazhi (20). One is yet to be identified. The police have received information that the dead are natives of Chemmananthode, Govindapuram in Palakkad. All five died on the spot itself. Six have been admitted to Thrissur Medical College with serious injuries. They had been working in the area for years.

Police said the lorry was driven by the cleaner, who was under the influence of alcohol. He did not have a license. Lorry driver Jose and cleaner Alex (33) of Alakode in Kannur were arrested in the incident. There were signboards at the place where the incident happened. The locals who heard screams first started the rescue operations. The police have reached the spot and started an investigation.