By IANS
Muvattupuzha (Kerala) : A public memorial service was held Friday for the six Congress workers and a school student who were crushed under a truck that rammed into them in Pothanikad village of Kerala’s Ernakulam district Thursday.
About 500 Congress workers from Pothanikad village, about 200 km from state capital Thiruvananthapuram, were on their way to attend a party meeting when a truck rammed into them.
Two people died instantly and five others in hospital. A dozen others are still in hospital. The dead included a Class 12 student Movin.
The bodies were Friday kept in a public hall here to allow the public to pay their respects. A service in their memory was also held before the bodies were sent to the victims’ homes for the funerals.
The entire top brass of the Congress party’s state unit was present at the public service and met the victims’ families.
The state government has asked the Ernakulam district collector to hold an inquiry into the incident and submit a report.
“The Ernakulam district collector is expected to give a detailed report to the government later in the day and then the government will decide what needs to be done,” said Transport Minister Mathew T. Thomas.
Ernakulam District Collector M. Hanish told reporters that his report would focus on three aspects.
“One is to ascertain if the lorry was in a good condition, second is to inquire if necessary precautions were taken at the time of the rally to the meeting venue and third is to inquire if there was any foul play,” said Hanish.
The driver of the truck is in police custody.