PATHANAMTHITTA:Three people, including a husband and wife, were killed and six others were injured when a police van ploughed into a crowd near Ezhamkulam Junction in Adoor on Tuesday evening.
The mishap occurred around 7.10 pm and the victims were mostly people returning after witnessing the ‘kettukazhcha” festival at Ezhamkulam Devi temple. The couple has been identified as Sivan Pillai, 72, and Ratnamma, 62.
The identity of the third person is yet to be ascertained. The injured have been admitted to various private hospitals in Adoor. The accident occurred when the driver of the police van, who was reportedly in a drunken state, recklessly drove the vehicle on the road thronging with devotees returning after the “kettukazcha” festival.
After the accident, the police driver was assaulted by the irate mob. People protesting against the incident also pelted stones at the police vehicles parked on the road sides. An irate mob also blocked the Kaipattor-Ezhamkulam road, disrupting the traffic along the stretch for two hours.
Additional police personnel had to be deployed in the venue to clear the road and bring the situation under control.