Idukki accident: Wedding trip turns tragic for a family, police suspect brake failure

Hours after 65-year-old Saramma died in an accident in Idukki, her neighbours and friends rushed to the spot to aid the grieving family. With her son in surgery,  grand daughter on ventilator, and her husband unaware of the extent of the death and injuries, the village has become a pillar of support for the family to lean on.

The accident occurred around 6.30 pm on Sunday when the jeep, carrying around 12 passengers, including children, was descending from St Thomas Mount, a nearby pilgrimage centre. The group had visited the site after attending a wedding at Narakakanam. The vehicle veered off the road and fell nearly 50 feet into a gorge, resulting in the death of Saramma and her nephew's 6-month-old daughter, Niku.

Those injured include Saramma's daughter Solly, son Sajan and his wife Juliet, along with Salu, Eldhose, Jyothish, Jomal, Nihara, Chinnu and another Eldhose, all from Koothattukulam.

According to Boban, Kurien's younger brother, the family had attended the wedding of Saramma's relative and were returning to her house when the incident occurred. He said that Kurien, Saramma's husband, who was still at the event venue, was not part of the group.

“We haven't been able to tell him what happened. He knows there has been an accident, but he isn't aware of the extent of the injuries or Saramma's death,” Manjusha, the ward member of Mannathoor East where the family lived, told Onmanorama. “He is a heart patient, and telling him that his whole family was affected to this extent may be too much for him to grasp,” she added.

The injured were rushed to the Idukki Medical College Hospital, and nine of them have been shifted to Pala Medicity in Kottayam. Meanwhile, the driver of the vehicle is continuing treatment at Idukki.

Solly's daughter had sustained bleeding in her brain and was admitted to a ventilator on Sunday evening. Boban said that she underwent an operation last night and that doctors said she is under observation for 48 hours. “Doctors said that only after this window can they assess her condition,” he told Onmanorama.

Meanwhile, Sajan sustained injuries to his spine and has been experiencing paralysis below his waist. Boban said that he was taken for surgery on Monday morning. “Before going in for the surgery, he spoke to me. He told me to call the school where he works and inform them of the situation. But he sustained injuries to his leg and waist. We have to wait till the surgery is over,” Boban told Onmanorama.

According to Manjusha, the rest of the family members are recovering well and have sustained relatively minor injuries.

Boban said that arrangements to bring Saramma's body have been made. However, they wish to consult with Sajan before arranging her funeral. “It's his mother. We want to try to make sure that he gets to see her before the funeral, so we are waiting to discuss the possibility of arranging that with the doctors. However, it seems unlikely given his present condition,” he told Onmanorama.

“It's been hard to make funeral arrangements because her son is in surgery and her husband is unaware of her death. We need close family members to make these decisions,” Manjusha said. “I believe the family will inform Kurien of the death shortly,” she added.

Saramma and Kurien are MGNREGA workers and lived in Mannathoor. They had two children, Sajan and Solly. Sajan lived close by and worked at a school in Ayavana, while Solly lived with her husband and family and worked at a private company. “They are a very loving and happy family,” Manjusha recalled. She also said that the family had been an active part of the community.

As soon as news of the accident broke, Manjusha, along with other neighbours and family, arrived in Idukki to help the family. “We went there and took stock of the situation and returned as the body will be brought back soon after the post-mortem examination,” she said. 

“The fact that so many people have gone there to help the family is a testament to the impact they have had on their neighbours,” she said. Sajan would sing at regional events and was part of a ganamela group, she recalled. “Even though they were not our blood, we were still very close,” she added.

According to the Idukki Police, the vehicle appears to have rolled backwards during an uphill climb. Police said that brake failure is also a possible reason for the accident. However, the police are yet to take the statements of the victims and said that further investigation is required to confirm the exact cause of the accident.