Five killed, 19 injured as van falls into gorge

KOTTAYAM: Five people were killed and 19 others were injured, majority of them seriously, when the minivan in which they were travelling fell into 300-feet-deep gorge at Vellikulangara, near here today.


Four of the dead were identified as Ratheesh, Binu, Manikuttan and Subin, all belonging to Muhamma in Alappuzha. The identity of the fifth person has not been ascertained. In the preliminary reports it was found that break failure of the van was said to be the reason for the accident, sources said.


The passengers, all belonging to Muhamma, were returning to their home after attending a programme in a temple at Elappara, the sources added. Timely rescue operation by the police and local people helped bring down casualty and shift injured to various hospitals immediately. The seriously injured were shifted to Kottayam Medical College Hospital, while the others were admitted to nearby hospitals, police added.