Coonoor Bus Accident: Four booked, police issue advisory to avoid road accidents in hilly terrains
Oct 02, 2023
Nilgiris (Tamil Nadu) [India], October 2 : The Coonoor Police has registered a case against four people and issued an advisory on road safety after a tourist bus fell into a gorge in Tamil Nadu's Nilgiris and killed nine people on September 30.
At least nine people were killed after the tourist bus fell into a gorge in Tamil Nadu's Nilgiris district on Saturday. According to police, the bus was on its way from Coonoor to Tenkasi when it met with the accident. The passengers who were onboard the bus were returning home from a tour in Ooty.
"A case under three sections of IPC 279, 337, 304(A) has been registered against the vehicle owner Subramani, drivers Muthu Kutty, Gopal and tour coordinator Anbazhagan at Coonoor police station in connection with the accident," Coonoor Police said in a statement.
According to the police, 61 people, including two drivers and 59 tourists were travelling in the bus when the accident took place allegedly due to the carelessness of the driver. During the preliminary inquiry, it came to light that the driver lost control over the wheels and ended up falling into a 100 ft-deep gorge at Marapalam near Coonoor.
"9 persons died in the accident. 43 others sustained injuries out of which two persons were admitted to Coimbatore Government Hospital, two persons were admitted to Utagai Government Hospital and 39 persons were admitted to Coonoor Government Hospital for treatment," said the police report. Bus driver Muthu Kutty is also undergoing treatment at Coonoor Government Hospital, stated the report.
Furthermore, the police have issued an important advisory to avoid road accidents in the hilly terrains of the area.
As per the advisory, out-of-town motorists coming to the hilly areas should be very experienced and have experience driving in the hilly areas. Tourist vehicles should be checked frequently. The vehicle must be tested before driving, especially on hilly roads, it said.
Additionally, the police advisory stated that it is mandatory to follow the speed limit of 35 km/h on the mountain passes of the Nilgiris. After a long day of travelling, drivers should be given rest. Repairs to the vehicle in hilly areas should be done immediately.
