KOCHI: Asha S, one of the teachers who was inside the ill-fated tourist bus, was inconsolable on Thursday. Though she survived, Asha had to see her daughter Anjana Ajith, 17, die in front of her eyes. Anjana was one of the five students who was killed in the tragedy.
Staff and students of the school recalled that Asha, who teaches English, and Anjana used to be seen together in the school almost all the time. Her younger daughter Kalyani Ajith studies in class 6 in the same school. “Asha teacher has lost her students and her daughter,” said one of the staffers.
The other teachers and staff members, who were in the staff room of the school on Thursday, said they couldn’t believe the news of the accident.
“We have not been able to console Asha teacher,” said Noby George, one of the teachers.
‘Never thought we would lose our friends’
Heart-wrenching scenes unfolded at Anjanam, Asha’s house at Valiyakulam in Udayamperoor, when Anjana’s body was brought from the school on Thursday evening.
Ajith A V, an employee of Traco Cables, Irumpanam, who had dropped both Asha and Anjana at the school, could not control his emotions and broke into tears.
Prince V Raju, Anjana’s classmate who was on the bus, said she had sat in the middle seat. “I never thought we will lose our friends. I escaped through the emergency door on the top of the bus. I was under the impression that Anjana and Emmanuel, my classmates, had only fainted and I would be able to see them later,” said Prince, who is yet to recover from the shock.
Anjana was cremated at Tripunithura crematorium in the evening.