KOCHI: A 16-year-old boy died after falling from the foot-board of a moving private bus in Chellanam on Sunday night. Pavan Sumod, a resident of Chellanam, succumbed to injuries at the private hospital he was taken to immediately after the fall.
Though the Kochi city police have booked the bus driver for negligence, as the vehicle’s doors were open while it was moving, they are also investigating the possibility of suicide.
A source with the police said the incident occurred around 7pm on Sunday. CCTV footage showed the bus was not crowded when Pavan boarded it. He initially occupied a seat but soon got up and moved to the foot-board, said the source. It is unclear whether he slipped or jumped off the bus, the source said.
Kannamali station house officer Sijin Mathew said the boy boarded the bus after one of his friends dropped him off on a motorbike.
“He sat on a seat initially, and later moved towards the foot-board. Preliminary investigation suggests he may have slipped while looking back to check whether his friend was following him,” Sijin said, adding that an investigation will shed further clarity on the matter.