VIZHINJAM: In a tragic incident, a TTC student was killed and three others were injured after an n autorickshaw collided with another on the Vizhinjam-Mukkola Uchakkada on Thursday. The deceased has been identified as Francisca (19), the daughter of Vilavoorkal native F Xavier and Lekha Raxson. Two other students, KP Devika (19) from Pathanamthitta and Rakhi Suresh (19) from Kasaragod, and the autorickshaw driver, Sujith (32) from Venganoor, were seriously injured in the accident.

The accident occurred when an autorickshaw coming from the opposite direction collided with the one Fransisca and her friends were travelling in. The autorickshaw that caused the collision fled the scene without stopping. Later, its driver, Shaiju (30), a native of Vizhinjam, was arrested by the police. The accident took place at around 4:30 pm yesterday near the Kidarakuzhi Chandanamariamman Temple on the Vizhinjam-Mukkola road.

Francisca and her two friends were third-semester students at the Pattom Memorial Institute of Teachers Education, Maruthoorkonam. As part of their teacher training, they had been undergoing practical training at the Venganoor Mudippura Government LP School since last Monday. The accident occurred while they were travelling by autorickshaw from the school to their hostel in Maruthoorkonam.