Kerala, 23 June (H.S.) :Three people were killed after a tipper lorry lost control and crashed into a bus stop at Kottarakkara in Kerala's Kollam district on Tuesday, according to preliminary information from the police.

The accident occurred at Mukkoli Mukku, where several students were waiting for a bus. The tipper lorry, carrying a load of earth, reportedly veered off the road and rammed into the bus stop before overturning onto the children and some adults.

Witnesses said the vehicle was travelling at high speed when it struck the bus shelter. The impact caused the lorry to topple, trapping the people beneath the vehicle and the soil it was transporting.

Rescue operations were immediately launched by police personnel, Fire and Rescue Services officials, and local residents. Efforts were focused on removing the overturned lorry and clearing the mound of earth to reach those trapped underneath.

Preliminary reports indicated that three people died in the incident. Several others sustained injuries and were rushed to nearby hospitals in Kottarakkara for treatment.

The exact number of injured persons and the severity of their injuries were not immediately available.

Senior police officials reached the accident site and initiated an investigation into the cause of the crash. Authorities are examining whether excessive speed, mechanical failure or driver negligence led to the accident.

The tragedy has shocked the local community, with anxious relatives and residents gathering near the accident site as rescue and recovery operations continued.

Further details are awaited.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman