A Grade 11 student studying in Okkal SNS Higher Secondary School was admitted to a hospital after she fell off a moving KSRTC bus at Periyar Junction yesterday, November 18. After several head injuries, the victim, Farhah Fathima, was rushed to the intensive care unit of Ernakulam Medical Trust Hospital, stated a report by The New Indian Express.
The accident occurred when Farhah was travelling to school. She was standing on the footboard of the bus which was travelling on the Aluva-Perumbavoor route. She was on the footboard as it was jam-packed and when the bus reached the Periyar Junction, where the accident took place, the door of the bus opened and the strap of Farhah's bag became entangled in the door lock, stated The New Indian Express report.
"Since it was an ordinary bus, it was not equipped with pneumatic doors. When the door accidentally opened, she fell out of the bus and hit her head on the road. Though a few autorickshaw drivers rushed her to a nearby private hospital, her condition worsened. Following this, her family shifted her to the Ernakulam Medical Trust Hospital," said Soman, checking inspector, KSRTC Perumbavoor.
According to the locals who were at the accident spot, the heavy rush and lack of sufficient private buses during peak hours on the Aluva-Perumbavoor route force students and other passengers to travel in such a dangerous condition as reported by The New Indian Express. A KSRTC officer said, "At present, 19 buses are conducting service on the stretch. A proposal to increase the number of services along the route has already been approved. Due to a lack of sufficient numbers of workers, the services are yet to be started. Three more buses are likely to start service from Monday."
Sources at the hospital said that the condition of the victim is critical and Farhah is on ventilator support. "Craniotomy surgery has been performed. The girl is still on ventilator support and remains in a critical state," said hospital sources, as reported by The New Indian Express.
