Thiruvananthapuram, 17 Jan (H.S.):At least 17 students were injured, two of them critically, when a tourist bus carrying engineering students overturned at Navayikkulam on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram on Friday. The bus was transporting MBA students from Sahrdaya Engineering College, Kodakara in Thrissur district, police said.
According to officials, a total of 43 students were travelling in the bus at the time of the accident. The group was returning after an academic visit to the Vizhinjam International Seaport as part of their course requirements when the mishap occurred.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the driver may have dozed off at the wheel, causing him to lose control of the vehicle. The bus reportedly veered off the road and overturned, leaving several students trapped inside. Local residents rushed to the spot and assisted in rescue efforts before emergency services arrived.
Police, fire and rescue personnel, and local volunteers worked together to extricate the injured students from the damaged bus. Ambulances were immediately deployed to shift the injured to a private hospital in Kollam for treatment. Hospital authorities confirmed that while most students sustained minor to moderate injuries, two remain in critical condition and are under intensive medical care.
Eyewitnesses said the accident took place in the early hours, when traffic was relatively light, preventing further casualties. The road was temporarily blocked following the incident, causing brief traffic disruption until the bus was removed.
College authorities have informed the families of the injured students and are coordinating with hospital officials to ensure proper medical care. A team from the college has reached the hospital to assist students and relatives.
Police have registered a case and launched a detailed investigation into the accident. The driver has been taken into custody for questioning, and officials said further action will be taken based on the findings of the probe.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman
