KONNI: Barely had the state recovered from the shock of a string of road accidents, when tragedy struck again, claiming the lives of four members of a single family in a horrific crash. The accident occurred at Murinjakal in Konni on the Punalur-Muvattupuzha State Highway. The deceased are Anu Biju (28), Nikhil Mathew (30), Nikhil's father Mathai Eapen (66), and Anu's father Biju P George (51). While Nikhil, Mathai and Biju died on the spot, Anu breathed her last while being transferred from the Konni Taluk Hospital to a private hospital in Pathanamthitta.
The accident that shocked the state took place at around 4 AM yesterday. The car, in which the family was travelling, collided with a bus carrying Sabarimala pilgrims. Nikhil and Anu had just returned from their honeymoon in Malaysia. Biju and Mathai Eapen had gone to pick up the two from the Thiruvananthapuram airport. They were just seven kilometres away from Nikhil’s home when the car collided head-on with an oncoming bus.
The preliminary conclusion is that Biju P George, who was driving the car, might have fallen asleep, causing the accident. Biju and Mathai Eapen were seated in the front of the car. Firefighters had to cut the car open to take out the people trapped inside the car. Anu was initially taken to Konni Taluk Hospital and was then being transferred to a private hospital in Pathanamthitta when she succumbed to her injuries. The Sabarimala pilgrims from Telangana were returning after their pilgrimage, and some of them sustained minor injuries.
The bodies have been sent to Pathanamthitta General Hospital for post-mortem and are now kept in the mortuary at Ittithitta. Mathai Eapen’s wife is Sali Mathai, and their daughter is Nitha. Biju P. George’s wife is Nisha Biju, and their son is Aaron.
Nikhil and Anu got married on November 30
Nikhil and Anu got married on November 30, after eight years of love. The wedding was held at the Poonkavu St. Mary's Malankara Church. They left for their honeymoon in Malaysia on December 2nd.
Both families were from the same parish and shared close family ties. Nikhil worked in Canada, while Anu had completed her MSW. The couple was preparing to leave for Canada together on January 15th.