Two persons were killed when a train rammed the mini-lorry in which they were travelling at an unmanned level crossing at Panachuvadu near Punnapra here on Monday.
The two were identified as Rafique and Ashiq, both natives of Palluruthy near Kochi. They were said to be on their way to the Punnapra seashore fish market when the accident occurred at around 1.15 p.m.. The mini-lorry was hit by the Netravati Express and the two occupants were killed on the spot, police said.
With the Panachuvadu level crossing now being a regular accident spot, the public that gathered there turned irate and attempted to stop trains that came following the departure of the Netravati Express. The police had to use mild force and arrest one person while attempting to disperse the crowd. The crowd, however, got only more furious with the arrest and dispersed only after Railway authorities — who reached the spot — assured a to post a temporary watchman at the crossing immediately and to install a gate by October 30.
In September 2009, an auto-rickshaw driver, Lawrence, from Punnapra, was killed at the same crossing when his auto-rickshaw was rammed by the Kochuveli-Amritsar Express. Lawrence was killed while he was on his way to pick up students from a nearby school.
