Four school students were killed after a speeding truck mowed them down in Kerala’s Palakkad on Thursday, police said.
The incident took place at around 4pm at Panayampadam near Kalladikode, when the girls were waiting for a bus to return home after school hours.
According to the police, the cement-laden truck was reportedly speeding when it lost control and veered off the road. The vehicle then fell on its side and crushed the children.
Preliminary information suggested the victims were students of a Higher Secondary School near the accident spot, news agency PTI reported.
The deaths sparked a protest from local residents, who claimed the road on which the accident happened was not scientifically designed. They claimed the spot is infamous for road accidents and that the authorities overlooked their complaints.
Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil said he will raise the matter with the authorities.