COIMBATORE: Nine tourists from Kerala died and four others suffered serious injuries after the van they were traveling in veered off the Valparai-Pollachi ghat road and plunged several hundred feet into a deep gorge on Friday evening. The deceased, including five teachers of Govt LP School at Palliparambu, Pang, in Kerala’s Malappuram district, have been identified as Ajitha, 54, Ramla, 52, Suhra, 43, Asha, 41, Majeeth, 43, Sajitha, 45, Shakeela, 37, Ruqiya, 39, and Hisham, 12. The injured – Nowshath, 39, Shahadin, 11, Maijn, 10, and van driver Mohammed Fasith, 21 – were rushed to the Government Hospital in Pollachi. Three of them were later referred to the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital. The accident took place at the 13th hairpin bend under the Kadamparai police station limits around 5.15pm.The victims were part of a 13-member tourist group, including the driver, from Perinthalmanna in Kerala’s Malappuram district. They were returning from Valparai after a sightseeing trip. Preliminary reports said the driver of the van lost control of the vehicle while negotiating the sharp curve. The vehicle skidded off the road and tumbled through dense terrain before coming to rest near the ninth hairpin bend. Nine passengers died on the spot.After receiving information, a police team led by the Valparai deputy superintendent of police and the Valparai inspector rushed to the spot and began rescue operations. Fire and rescue services personnel also joined the effort and worked to extricate the victims from the mangled vehicle. Terrain made the rescue op dangerous: Cop A police official said the difficult terrain made the rescue operation extremely challenging, but all survivors were rushed to hospital, and the bodies of the deceased sent for postmortem. The Kadamparai police registered a case and began an investigation.Coimbatore collector Pavankumar G Giriyappanavar visited the accident spot and conducted an inspection. Prime Minister Modi expressed his condolences in a social media post, saying, “I was deeply saddened to learn of the accident that occurred in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. I extend my deepest condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in this accident. I pray the injured recover swiftly.”
