Mother, daughter crushed to death at Mannuthi

THRISSUR: A 36-year-old woman and her two-and-a-half-year-old daughter died here on Friday when her husband lost control of the bike, near a police patrol, hurling them on the road. The woman was run over by a KSRTC bus while the child suffered fatal head injuries.

The incident took place on the National Highway at Mannuthi.  The victims were identified as Saphiya and her daughter Fathima.

Rasheed, husband of Saphiya,  who was driving the vehicle, was admitted to a private hospital with minor injuries, and was discharged later in the evening.

The family members were  on their way to Thrissur from their native place at  Pazhayannur when the accident took place around 10.40 in the morning.

The local people  alleged that the unscientific manner of stopping vehicles by the highway police  led to the accident.

According to them a pickup van  going ahead of the bike was stopped suddenly by the highway police. As the vehicle came to a halt,  Rasheed tried to sway the bike to the side to avoid it. 

He lost control and the bike skidded off the road. A KSRTC bus ran over Saphiya while the daughter suffered serious head injury  leading to her death.

The locals tried to assault the police officials alleging their callousness  after the accident. Some people alleged that the police instead of taking the injured to the hospital were taking the picture of the accident on the mobile phone.

The bus stopped after covering some distance. The locals also blocked the national highway demanding action against  sub-inspector Pankajaskhan.

Thrissur  city police commissioner K.G. Simon later said that the sub-inspector was shifted to police control room following the incident.

Action would be taken against the guilty and the current policy of highway patrolling would be reviewed, he said.