Driver killed as container lorry plunges into gorge in Thodupuzha, assistant jumps out in time
Motorists and local residents rushed to the site and attempted to pull him out but were unable to do so.
Motorists and local residents rushed to the site and attempted to pull him out but were unable to do so.
Motorists and local residents rushed to the site and attempted to pull him out but were unable to do so.
Thodupuzha: A container lorry lost control and plunged into a gorge at Nellappara on the Thodupuzha–Ponkunnam state highway on Saturday, killing the driver. The deceased has been identified as Sumeesh Sukumaran (45), of Chirattapalam Puthenpurackal, Kochi.
The accident occurred around 7.30 pm near the Kurish Church at the accident-prone Nellappara bend. The lorry, which was heading from Pala towards Ernakulam, is believed to have skidded due to heavy rain in the region. The vehicle lost control while descending the slope and toppled into the gorge before the driver could negotiate the curve. The cabin collapsed onto Sumeesh, who had been thrown out of the vehicle.
Motorists and local residents rushed to the site and attempted to pull him out but were unable to do so. Fire and Rescue personnel from Thodupuzha, along with Karinkunnam police, later used a crane to lift the vehicle and retrieve the driver. Police confirmed that he had died by then.
The lorry’s assistant, Manish (40), a native of Alappuzha, jumped out moments before the crash and escaped with minor injuries. He has been admitted to a private hospital in Thodupuzha.
Sumeesh’s body has been shifted to the district hospital mortuary. The lorry belonged to a private firm based near Pala. Traffic on the route was disrupted for some time following the accident.