A civil police officer attached to the police team escorting the Communist Party of India (Marxist) State secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan died and two other policemen were injured in an accident involving the escort vehicle at Podiyadi, near Thiruvalla, on Sunday afternoon.
The deceased has been identified as P. Praveen, 32, of Padmavilasom at Kadackal-Anappara in Kollam district. He was attached to the Armed Reserve Camp in Thiruvananthapuram.
The injured persons, K. Ramachandran, 45, SI , and Abhilash, 33, CPO, have been admitted to the Taluk Hospital at Thiruvalla. They too are from the A.R. Camp in Thiruvananthapuram.
The vehicle overturned while negotiating a curve near Podiyadi Junction on the Thiruvalla-Mavelikara Road. The driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle and hit an autorickshaw. K.A.Mathew, 49, auto driver; Neethu, 26, and her eight-month-old child who were travelling in the autorickshaw sustained minor injuries.
Praveen was rushed to the Pushpagiri Medical College Hospital where he was declared dead.
Mr. Balakrishnan was on his way to Alappuzha after a marriage at Parumala. He visited the hospital to pay tributes to Praveen.
Wife attempts suicide
Meanwhile, Pallavi, wife of Praveen, attempted suicide after hearing of his death, the police said. Pallavi, 25, slit her left wrist using a blade at their house in Kadakkal, Kollam, around 5 p.m.
She was rushed to the Kadakkal taluk hospital, where she is reportedly out of danger. The couple has a two-year-old child.
Solatium
State Police Chief Loknath Behera has announced ₹2 lakh from the police welfare fund as solatium for the family of Praveen. For treatment expense of each personnel injured in the accident, ₹25000 has been sanctioned.
