Thiruvananthapuram/Malappuram (Kerala) | Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and other leaders condoled the death of the teachers and staff of Pang-Palliparamba Government Lower Primary School in Malappuram following an accident in Tamil Nadu on Friday.
Vijayan said the loss of lives in the tragic accident in Valparai is "deeply saddening".
In a statement, Vijayan said he shares the grief of the families of those who lost their lives in the incident.
The Chief Minister said instructions have been given to the authorities to ensure the best possible treatment for the injured, if required.
He also assured that the government would provide necessary assistance to the families of the deceased.
General Education Minister V Sivankutty said he was deeply saddened to learn about the accident involving teachers of Pang Palliparamba GLP School in Malappuram, in which several people lost their lives.
He said he had contacted the office of the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, which has assured that all necessary assistance would be provided.
The minister said he has been informed that all steps are being taken under the leadership of the Coimbatore District Collector.
Sivankutty's office said the he will be travelling to Coimbatore on a train departing from Thiruvananthapuram late at night.
Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly V D Satheesan shared a condolence message on his Facebook page.
IUML leader P K Kunhalikutty said the news of the accident at Valparai involving teachers of Pang Palliparamba GLP School in Malappuram is “shocking” and “heartbreaking”.
“It is learnt that several people lost their lives after the vehicle carrying the teachers met with the accident,” he said.
Kunhalikutty said he is in touch with MLA Manjalamkuzhi Ali and that necessary interventions are being carried out under his leadership.
Meanwhile, parents of students and local residents gathered at Pang-Palliparamba Government Lower Primary School at Kuruva here after its teachers and staff were killed in a road accident on the Valparai-Pollachi ghat road in Coimbatore district.
Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) members and Kuruva panchayat representatives were among those who assembled on the school premises following the incident.
A PTA member told reporters that a 16-member group, including some teachers, staff and their children, had gone on the trip.
“It was not a tour organised by the school. Teachers and staff went on the trip during the vacation period. Some of them had posted photos as WhatsApp status,” the PTA member said.
According to them, the group set out on Friday morning, visited Athirappilly Waterfalls in Thrissur and then proceeded to Valparai.
“The exact cause of the accident is yet to be known. As per our information, the bodies of the deceased and the injured are being shifted from Pollachi to Coimbatore,” a panchayat member said.
PTA members said that during a school event held on April 4, some teachers had mentioned plans for a tour during the vacation.
“There are teachers, helpers and their children in the group. All of them are from the Kuruva area. Their relatives are on the way to Coimbatore,” a PTA member said.
State Police Chief Ravada A Chandrasekhar said Kerala Police is in touch with their counterparts in Tamil Nadu.
“Police from Malappuram and Palakkad have collected details from officials in Coimbatore. A team will be sent to Coimbatore and Pollachi soon. The exact number of deaths and injuries will be confirmed shortly,” he said.way to Coimbatore,” a PTA member said.