Four fishermen were killed when a truck rammed the mini-lorry they were travelling in at Punnapra on the National Highway-47 here this morning.
According to the police, a group of 21 fishermen was on its way to the Veeyani Beach in Punnapra from Mararikulam, where the boats of these fishermen were docked since last week. Though they hailed from Mararikulam, the rough waves in that part of the sea had forced them to set sail from Punnapra.
The accident occurred around 5 a.m., when the driver of the mini-lorry braked suddenly, realizing that he had missed the road turning from the NH-47 to the Veeyani Beach. A truck, which was carrying construction material from Thrissur to Kollam, and was behind the mini-lorry, could not stop in time and rammed the fishermen’s vehicle, killing three of them on the spot.
Those killed on the spot were Joseph, 52, Philips, 50, and Sebastian, 48. Another man, Cleetus, 58, died while he was being taken to the Kottayam Medical College. A fifth fisherman, Xavier, is in a serious condition and has been shifted to a private hospital in Ernakulam. A few other fishermen sustained minor injuries.
The Punnapra police have registered a case.
