KOZHIKODE: Four Keralites died and two others were injured after a private bus travelling from Kozhikode to Bengaluru jumped the median and crashed into an iron barricade at Sankalagere near Channapatna, on the Bengaluru-Mysuru access controlled highway in the early hours of Monday.
The deceased are Zakir Hussain, 27, from Kappad in Kozhikode, Mohammed Farhan, 22, from Koyilandy, Rasheed, 45, a native of Mahe, and Adithya Suresh, 22, from Azhiyur, Mahe. All four died on the spot.
As per the police, the accident involving the AC sleeper bus operated by PK Travels, which departed for Bengaluru from Kozhikode around 8pm on Saturday, took place around 4.30am. It is suspected the driver dozed off behind the wheel. The bus was carrying 36 passengers and seven staff members, many of whom were returning to Bengaluru after Ugadi and Eid holidays.
Although the driver initially claimed he had swerved the bus to avoid an oncoming vehicle, CCTV footage later confirmed driver fatigue as the primary cause of the accident. The Channapatna traffic police have registered a case against the driver and taken him into custody.
The damaged bus was removed from the accident site using a crane. Senior police officials, including the SP, visited the spot.
The bodies have been shifted to Channapatna Government Hospital and will be handed over to families after post-mortem procedures.
Zakir is survived by his wife Nubiya and their two-month-old daughter, Riyana Fathima. He worked at an electric scooter company in Bengaluru. His funeral was held at Kappad Juma Masjid burial ground on Monday.
Farhan was a student pursuing an aviation course in Bengaluru. His parents Aslam and Sauda are based in Oman. Ahsan and Ayisha Sahak are his siblings. His last rites were held at the Koyilandy Juma Masjid, followed by burial at Purakkattiri. Rasheed worked at a tea shop on JC Road in Bengaluru. His burial took place at the Azhiyur Juma Masjid cemetery.
A Bengaluru-based organisation has launched a helpline to assist the victims’ families and provide support.