Panayampadam accident: Lorry drivers remanded, charged with homicide

PALAKKAD: The Mannarkkad Court has remanded two lorry drivers, Prajeesh John and Mahendra Prasad, for two weeks in connection with the horrific accident in Panayampadam that claimed the lives of four children.

Prajeesh John (27), a native of Vazhikkadavu, was driving the lorry that caused the initial accident, while Mahendra Prasad, a resident of Kasargod, was behind the wheel of the lorry that overturned and fell on the children.

According to the police, Prajeesh confessed that the accident at Panayampadam was due to his own negligence. He said that his failure to notice an oncoming bike in time led to the accident. He has been charged with culpable homicide. The accident occurred when Prajeesh's lorry collided with a cement lorry, causing it to overturn. The cement lorry's driver, Mahendra Prasad, also faces culpable homicide charges. The police took the action based on eyewitness testimonies.

A forensic examination was conducted today at the site of the lorry accident. The DySP stated that a case has been registered for culpable homicide, alleging that the accident was caused by reckless driving at excessive speed. Both drivers sustained injuries in the accident but recovered after treatment, following which both were arrested.

Four Class 8 students of the Karimba Higher Secondary School lost their lives in the accident. The incident occurred yesterday around 4 PM when the cement lorry overturned onto the children who were walking by.