Inset: (from left) Romy Varghese, Lince Thomas, Shahana (Accel Frontline) and Remya K Varkey Kazhakkoottam: Tragedy struck Technopark Thiruvananthapuram as four Information Technology professionals working on the campus died in a road accident at Ayoor in Kollam Friday.
Remya K Varkey and Lince Thomas (both Infosys), Romy Varghese (UST Global) and Shahana (Accel Frontline) were on their way home for the weekend when the bus they were traveling collided with another one. The accident also left 15 software professionals injured.
Half of the passengers in the KSRTC bus involved in the accident were Infosys employees. The Angamaly Super Fast, which had been running weekend services exclusively for Technopark employees for four years, picked up the employees from Infosys at 5 pm on Friday. Employees from the other firms were picked up later.
The four deceased were sitting on the front seat when a private bus rammed their bus at Ayoor. Most of the passengers were sleeping at the time of the accident. The other passengers said the private bus seemed to be in a hurry.
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Preliminary inquiries suggest that the bus was driven recklessly. The driver is absconding.
The bus has been on the road for two years. Its fitness certificate was renewed only 15 days ago. The authorities have canceled the fitness certificate of the private bus and the license of its driver. Motor vehicles department officers have also recommended the cancellation of the bus permit.
Many of the companies working out the Technopark, including Infosys, works round the clock for five days, forcing their employees to find accommodation near their offices and leave for home on Friday evenings.
The trains and long-distance buses passing Kazhakkottam will be filled with the professionals heading home on Friday evenings. Many of the KSRTC buses starting from the Thiruvananthapuram depot enter Technopark to pick up the employees on Friday evenings thanks to the lobbying by collectives such as Prathidhwani. The bus involved in the accident was the first one to be rerouted through the park, the employees said.
Most of those buses ply on the MC Road as many trains on the Alappuzha route halt at Kazhakkoottam.
Infosys has offered help to the families of its deceased and injured employees.
