Three individuals returning from Mookambika temple in Kollur tragically lost their lives in a collision near Talapady toll gate at the border of Kasaragod's Manjeshwar. The incident, which occurred around 11 am on Tuesday, involved a speeding ambulance crashing into their Hyundai Eon. The deceased have been identified as P. Sivakumar (54yrs) from Irinjalakuda in Thrissur, along with his sons Sarath S. Menon (23yrs) and Sourav (15yrs).
Reports indicate that the ambulance, from Wintouch Hospital in Kasaragod, was travelling on the wrong side of the six-lane national highway that is currently under construction. The ambulance, in route to a hospital in Mangaluru with a female patient, collided with the Eon, causing it to be dragged nearly 100m. Eye witnesses revealed that the ambulance driver sustained severe leg injuries in the crash.
Following the accident, the female patient, accompanied by her husband and a caregiver, was transferred to a private hospital. Sivakumar and his sons are survived by his wife and mother, Smitha Sivakumar, who operates a Jana Seva Kendra in Irinjalakuda. Sivakumar, who worked for a company in Dubai, had returned home for vacation.
According to Irinjalakuda councillor K.M. Santhosh, the father and sons had embarked on a road trip to Bengaluru to visit a relative, as Smitha was unwell and unable to accompany them. The family has yet to inform her of the tragic loss.