'Driver, cleaner still in inebriated state, will cancel vehicle registration'; Minister K B Ganesh Kumar responds to Nattika accident

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Transport minister K B Ganesh Kumar responded to the ghastly road accident that left residents of Nattika in Thrissur stunned. Five people including two children were killed after a lorry ferrying timber rammed into them. The vehicle's registration and driver's license will be cancelled.

GANESH KUMAR:

“Both of them are still not out from the influence of alcohol. They were consuming alcohol from time to time during the journey. The driver after getting drunk went to sleep while it was the cleaner who was at the wheel. He too was drunk and was not having a driver’s license. Driver Jose is 50 years old. Cleaner Alex is 33 years old. Both are in police custody. The Motor Vehicle Department has suspended the registration of the vehicle on the instructions of the Transport Commissioner.

The vehicle is in the name of a native of Kannur. Registration will be cancelled soon. Notice has been already issued to the driver. The driver's license will also be cancelled. The vehicle permit will also be cancelled.

What happened is homicide. Those were people sleeping on the footpath. The lorry even broke the barricade and ran over them. The causalities also include two small children. Today's incident is quite unfortunate. Despite the lorry ramming into people, the driver and cleaner tried to evade. Some people stationed near Triprayar temple, almost 600 m from the accident site, stopped the vehicle while tying to flee.

We are requesting people to not sleep on pavements. The same group were earlier requested by police to not sleep on the road. But it doesn’t take away the grave crime committed by the lorry driver and cleaner. The highest section will be charged against the cleaner as he is not even having a driver’s license. I will meet CM Pinarayi Vijayan to discuss providing financial assistance to the injured.”