The death of three, including a man and his 18-month-old daughter, in Telangana’s Nizamabad district came as a shock for the people of Chembukadavu in Kozhikode on Saturday.
Aneesh Thomas, 33, his daughter Analia, and their driver Stalin, 21, died after the SUV they were travelling in hit a stationary tipper lorry from the rear on NH-44 at Naka Tanda of Mentrajpally village under the Dichpally police station limits around 3 a.m.
Aneesh’s wife Divya Aneesh and elder daughter Ajilia Aneesh who sustained injuries are reportedly out of danger.
The three died while undergoing treatment at the Government General Hospital, Nizamabad.
They were en route to their ancestral home in Kozhikode from Bihar. There were also Aneesh’s elder and younger brothers and their family members in separate vehicles on the same route. Aneesh along with his two brothers and their families were running an English medium school in Nawada district of Bihar.
Aneesh and his family members were shifted to the GGH in the two vehicles that were following them. It is suspected that the accident occurred as the driver of the SUV dozed off at the wheel.
The three families were going to Kerala in three separate vehicles after the relaxation of lockdown guidelines. Dichpally Circle Inspector Venkateswarlu and Subinspector Suresh Kumar inspected the spot and launched an investigation. Their parents here were eagerly awaiting the return of the families.
“The early morning accident shook the elderly parents who had been knocking at all doors for facilitating the quick return of their sons,” said Omana Varkey, one of their neighbours and a former panchayat member of Chembukadavu.
The panchayat authorities said efforts were on to bring the bodies to Kozhikode by Sunday afternoon. Post-mortem procedures had already been completed without much delay, they said.
As per reports, the driver of the vehicle hails from Mangaluru.
(With inputs from Kozhikode Bureau)