A 70-year-old pedestrian was killed after a mini lorry carrying jackfruit went out of control and rammed into him at Central Junction in Kattappana here on Thursday. The deceased is V P Raju (70), a native of Peruvanthanam, who had been staying with his son at Painavu.

The incident occurred around 3 pm. According to the police, the mini lorry lost control, struck Raju, and then crashed into nearby vehicles. The vehicle finally came to a halt after slamming into the front portion of a commercial establishment near Central Junction.

Raju was trapped under the vehicle. Local residents, along with Kattappana Police, rushed him to a nearby private hospital. However, he succumbed to his injuries. 

Police have taken the lorry driver into custody. Preliminary reports suggest that brake failure may have caused the accident, though officials said the exact cause can be confirmed only after a detailed inspection.