Kerala: Young athlete dies in road accident in Alappuzha; lorry driver booked

ALAPPUZHA(Kerala): A 19-year-old budding athlete, Lakshmi Lal, daughter of Mani Lal and Manju of Vellikad, met with a tragic end after a trailer lorry rammed into her scooter at Kalavoor, Alappuzha, on Thursday evening.

The accident occurred around 4:25 pm near the Kerala Bank, just north of Kalavoor Junction on the Alappuzha-Cherthala NH service road. Lakshmi was on her way to the Prithikulamkara Stadium in Mararikulam South for training along with veteran athlete Vineetha, an FIR by the Kerala police said.

Vineetha, who was riding the scooter, suffered injuries but survived.

According to the FIR, the trailer lorry was being driven negligently and attempted to overtake the scooter from behind when it struck the two-wheeler. Both riders were thrown off balance, and Lakshmi came under the wheels of the lorry, sustaining fatal head injuries. She was rushed to Providence Hospital in Thumpoly but was declared dead on arrival.

A first-year B.Com student at Ambalappuzha Government College, Lakshmi had won district-level titles in the 800m and 1500m track events and represented the district in state meets.

Police have registered a case against the driver under Sections 281, 125(a), and 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, citing rash and negligent driving that endangered human life.

Lakshmi’s body has been handed over to the family after the post-mortem. (ANI)