Man, daughter killed as truck rams car in Kalanjoor in Pathanamthitta

Kochi: A man and his daughter were killed in an accident in Pathanamthitta district after the car they were travelling in collided with a truck in the early hours of Sunday. Two others sustained serious injuries in the accident.

The accident occurred along the Punalur-Muvattupuzha road after the car crashed head-on with the truck near Kalanjoor. The deceased have been identified as Sundar Raj, 55, and his daughter Janani, 30. Sources said Janani’s brother was rushed to Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital with serious injuries. Another person who was in the car, identified as Pranav, was rushed to Punalur taluk hospital where he is recuperating from his injuries.

The accident occurred around 2.30am when the family was travelling from Sivakasi to Aluva. Fire and rescue personnel had to cut open the vehicle to rescue the passengers as the car got crushed in the impact of the collision. The bodies will be handed over to the kin after an autopsy.

The truck driver is suspected to have dozed off, leading to the collision. The truck overturned into a canal following the collision. The truck was laden with hay, and it got drenched in water, making it difficult to lift the truck out of the water. The truck was eventually taken out using a crane. Those in the truck survived with minor injuries.