KOCHI: Two children and a helper died when their school van fell into a temple pond in Maradu, putting the spotlight back on the safety of vehicles carrying school children.
The van was carrying eight children from Kids World Day Care Centre, Poonithura, at the time of the accident which happened around 4 pm on Monday. One injured child, Carol (5), and driver Anilkumar (45) are in the ICU of a private hospital in the city. The temple pond in Kattithara into which the van fell had no fencing around it.
The deceased children are Adithyan (4), son of Krishnankutty, Sree Nilayam, Mulakuzha, Chengannur, and Vidyalakshmi (4), daughter of Sanal Kumar-Smisha couple, of Aishwarya, Vazhakala, with the family currently residing at Sivasanjayam, Kattithara Road, Maradu. Helper Latha Unni, 45, wife of Unni, Kocharapadathu, Maradu, was the last to be rescued. She breathed her last on the way to the hospital. Their mortal remains were handed over to the family.
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