Four people, including KAPA case accused, killed in car-lorry collision

HARIPPAD: Four people, including a woman and her child, were killed and two injured seriously when their vehicle collided with a lorry in Kareelakulangara near Haripad in the district early on Saturday.

The accident took place around 3 am on a national highway, police said. Among those killed in the accident included Aisha Fathima (25), her five-year-old son Bilal, Riyas (27) who is an accused in a Kerala Anti-Social Activities Prevention Act (KAPA) case, and Unnikkuttan (25), they said.

Two of their co-travelers including Ansaf, another KAPA case accused. were seriously injured in the accident. They hail from Kayamkulam in the district. Lorry driver Noushad and cleaner Rajesh also suffered injuries. They are undergoing treatment at Alappuzha Medical College Hospital.

Though Ansaf, who got injured in the accident, was rushed to the hospital, he later managed to escape from the police. It is learnt that he escaped in a Scorpio car. All other injured persons are undergoing treatment at various hospitals in Alappuzha.

Police assumed that heavy rain and high speed resulted in the accident. The car was going towards Ernakulam from Kayamkulam and collided with the lorry that came from the opposite direction.

Police recovered cannabis and a knife from the car. Cannabis is thought to have been stored for use. An investigation has been launched into the incident, police said.

In January 2021, Riyaz and Ansaf were deported for one year under KAPA law. Riyas has been accused in four cases, including attempted murder, at the Kayamkulam police station since 2016. There are 11 cases against Ansaf at Kayamkulam station. At present, about 50 accused have been deported from Kayamkulam.