'Contractors and officials are responsible for accident'; locals protest over death of student in Kambalakkad

WAYANAD: Locals say the cause of the accident in which a student was fatally hit by a vehicle in Kambalakkad was the overspeeding of the jeep. Pipes placed along the roadside for a drinking water project also contributed to the incident. Footage has emerged showing the jeep speeding. The deceased is Dilshana (19), a native of Puthenthodukayil, Kambalakkad.

The accident occurred around 7:30 AM near Cinemall today. Dilshana was a second-year undergraduate student at St. Mary’s College, Bathery. She was standing by the roadside to buy milk when the speeding jeep, travelling from Kalpetta to Mananthavady, hit her.

The accident took place just below Dilshana's house. After hitting the girl, the jeep came to a stop after crashing into the pile of pipes nearby. Dilshana, who suffered serious injuries, was rushed to a private hospital in Kalpetta but could not be saved.

Locals confirmed that the cruiser jeep involved in the accident was travelling at a very high speed. They also said that due to the excessive speed of the jeep, the pipes could have hit Dilshana's body. The locals alleged that the contractors who dumped the pipes on the narrow roadside and the officials who permitted it are also responsible for the tragic accident.