Palakkad: Two of the eight people killed in a horrific accident at Thannissery on Sunday afternoon had a miraculous escape from a car accident at the popular hill station Nelliyampathy a little while earlier.
Fawas (17) and Umrul Farooq (20), who died as the ambulance carrying a critically ill patient rammed a lorry head-on yesterday at 2.50 pm, had seen death at close quarters hours before while they were returning from a pleasure trip to Nelliyampathy on Sunday morning. Brothers Nassar and Subair who had reached to help them were also killed in the accident that occurred on the Palakkad-Koduvayur state highway a couple of hours later.
The picnickers included Farooq's brother Jamsheer and one Shafi. While the friends were on their way back, the driver lost control of the vehicle and it fell into a gorge at Kundarachola around 11.30 pm. Passengers and crew of a KSRTC bus that was behind the car rescued them. Even though the car had fallen into the gorge, they did not suffer serious injuries as the vehicle got stuck on a tree at a depth of 50 metres.
The lucky car riders then took the same KSRTC bus and alighted at the community health centre at Nenmara for medical check-up. Meanwhile, their kin were alerted about the accident. Soon, Nassar, who is an autorickshaw driver, and Subair, a merchant, reached Nemara. Those who called on the youth who had gone for excursion were relieved as they realised they were safe.
As they decided to head back home, they realised bus service was not frequent in the area. As an ambulance, carrying a critically-ill patient, was heading to Palakkad, they decided to ride along. Jamsheer, however, opted out of the ambulance ride for lack of space. Shafi (13), who is undergoing treatment at the hospital, is another lucky survivor.
The ambulance was speeding along the wrong side of the road when it rammed the fish lorry near the post office at Thannissery. The front portion of the ambulance got badly crushed in the collision.
The other deceased are patient Nikhil (22) of Ayiloor in Palakkad; his relative Vyshakh (25); one Shivan (45), ambulance driver Sudheer (30) of Nemara as well as brothers Subair (38) and Nassar (45).
Subair is survived by wife Sainaba, and children Shihana Sherin and Shamina.
Nassar is survived by wife Suleikha and children Nissammudin, Nishan, Niyas and Nawas.
Farooq was a second-year student of Chinmaya Mission College at Kolazhy in Thrissur.
The lorry driver, Hurrair Ali (27) of Thrithala and his aides Faizal (45) of Ponnani in Malappuram and Syed Ibrahim were injured.
Palakkad MP V K Sreekandan, MLA Shafi Parambil and former MP M B Rajesh reached the accident spot.