Five killed as KSRTC bus rams auto, bus waiting area at Talapady in Kerala

Five people, including three women and a 10-year-old girl, were killed after a Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation bus crashed into a bus waiting area at Talapady on the Kerala-Karnataka border around 1.45 p.m. on Thursday.                               

The deceased were identified as autorickshaw driver Ali, a native of Karnataka, Lakshmi 10 of Talapady, and three women waiting at the bus stop. At least three others sustained serious injuries, with one reported to be in critical condition.            

According to preliminary findings, the brakes of the KSRTC bus, travelling from Kasargod to Mangaluru failed, causing the vehicle to first hit an autorickshaw before ploughing into the waiting area. The autorickshaw was mangled in the accident.    

Local people and police from Manjeswaram carried out rescue operations, shifting the injured to hospitals in Mangaluru. The bodies were taken to the Manjeswaram Taluk Hospital morgue and to morgues in Mangaluru and Deralakatte.

The accident led to heavy traffic congestion on the national highway, with police deploying additional personnel to restore traffic flow. A detailed investigation has been launched to ascertain the exact cause of the accident.