KOCHI: Jibin would have never thought a trip to the Cochin International Airport, Nedumbassery, would scar him for life. In a flash, the Elappara, Idukki, native lost his brother as well as four of his close ones.
The youth was to leave for Oman and was on his way to the airport in a car with the others when it collided with a tourist bus from Andhra Pradesh carrying Sabarimala pilgrims. The incident occurred around 12.45 am on Thursday at the Karikode curve near Chelamattam on the MC Road while the car tried to overtake a lorry.
The car rammed the bus, which was also severely damaged due to the impact.
“There were seven persons in the car. The deceased were friends and relatives of Jibin. They were accompanying him to the airport,” said the police.
The deceased are Unni, 20; Kiran, 21; Jineesh, 22; Vijayan, 22; and Jerin, 20 --- all natives of Elappara. Jerin was Jibin’s brother. Jibin and Sujith, who got severely injured, were admitted to private hospitals in Perumbavoor and Aluva, respectively. The police officers said their condition was stable.
Perumbavoor CI Baiju Paulose said preliminary inquiry suggested the car’s speeding led to the mishap. A detailed investigation is under way. The police shifted the bus from the road after a few hours of the incident. Traffic on the MC Road remained disrupted for hours.