Kochi | A motorist was crushed to death after a private bus fell on him as its driver lost control and the vehicle overturned at a traffic signal near Panangad here on Sunday.

Police said Idukki resident Jijo Sebastian (33) lost his life while 11 others were injured when the bus allegedly skidded off the road and overturned.

The bus coming from Bengaluru was going to Thiruvananthapuram.

"The incident happened around 10.30 am. It seems like the bus driver lost control after braking and the vehicle fell on the biker who was waiting at the signal," police said.

Meanwhile, local people said the motorist was trapped under the bus for around 25 minutes.

"He could be rescued only after a crane came and lifted the bus. He and the others were shifted to a nearby hospital," a local told the media.

However, Jijo could not be saved.

The accident caused a traffic jam for almost an hour on the National Highway and the Fire Force and the police jointly cleared the block and removed the vehicles involved.