Kottayam: Kripa and Ashley had been close friends since their school days at BMM School in Pampady, Kottayam. Both excelled in their studies, and whenever Kripa returned home during the holidays, visiting Ashley was usually her first priority.

A trip to visit another friend on Wednesday, following Ashley’s success in an examination, however, turned out to be their final journey. Kripa had arrived at Ashley’s house in a car, after which the two continued their journey on a scooter.

Dashcam footage from a vehicle travelling behind them shows that the scooter went out of control when a car ahead suddenly slowed down on the narrow road. The scooter overturned and fell under a bus, worsening the impact of the accident.

Although both women were wearing helmets, they died after the bus ran over them. Forensic and fingerprint experts inspected the accident site.

Kerala visit cut short
Despite working abroad, Kripa regularly returned home for the annual festival at her parish church. The festival at St Ignatius Church in Kadavumbhagam, where her father serves as vicar, is scheduled for October 24 and 25.

Kripa was a final-year Master of Social Work student at James Cook University in Brisbane, Australia. She arrived in Kerala in the early hours of October 19 with her brother Kiran, who works in Australia. She had bought new clothes for the festival and booked her return ticket to Australia for November 16. Her untimely death came just days before her 25th birthday on November 23.

Kripa’s funeral will be held at 2 pm at St Ignatius Church in Kadavumbhagam, with Catholicos Baselios Joseph presiding over the service.

ICCA success celebration
Meanwhile, friends who arrived at Ashley’s home to congratulate her on completing the ICCA course were instead met with the news of her death. They had come to celebrate her achievement, but the sudden loss left them devastated.

Ashley’s grandparents, who were at home, had not yet been informed of her death when her friends arrived. Her relatives broke the news of the accident to the group and sent them back. Ashley’s father, V V Thomas, runs an auto scan workshop at Annadivayal in Velloor.

Ashley’s body will be brought home at 5 pm on Thursday. The funeral will be held at 10 am on Friday at St George Orthodox Church in Meenadom, following prayers at her home. Her brothers are Subin Varghese and Albin V Thomas.

District Police Chief K M Sabu Mathew said the police had launched an investigation into the accident. He added that they would also investigate those who had obstructed the road.