Bus carrying Sabarimala pilgrims from AP overturns; 43 injured
Pathanamthitta (PTI): As many as 43 people including a boy suffered injuries after a bus carrying Sabarimala pilgrims from Andhra Pradesh met with an accident and overturned near Laha in this district on Saturday.
Among them, the condition of the eight-year-old boy, identified as Manikandan, is critical.
The mishap occurred when the 44 pilgrims from Vijayawada were on their way back after offering worship at the hill shrine, police said.
District health officials confirmed that a total of 43 persons were injured in the accident, which was suspected to have happened after the driver lost control of the vehicle while negotiating a curve in the route.
Health Minister Veena George said all those in the bus were rescued within an hour of the accident and the vehicle was shifted from the accident site by 10 am.
The condition of the boy, who suffered multiple injuries, is critical and he would undergo a surgery soon at the Government Medical College, Kottayam, she said. "Five persons including the boy were referred to the Kottayam Medical College. Some among them require surgery," the Minister said in a Facebook post.
A team of doctors and nurses of the Pathanamthitta General Hospital and Konni Medical College are making arrangements for the treatment, she said.
As of now, 38 persons are undergoing treatment at the Pathanamthitta General Hospital, she said, adding that arrangements have been made for those who escaped unhurt and steps would be taken to send them to their native place soon.
Earlier, police, fire force personnel, motor vehicle department officials and the locals coordinated a swift rescue mission, which reduced the gravity of the accident.
Besides George, top officials including the district Collector and district police chief reached the spot and supervised the rescue operations.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Kerala polls: ‘People rejected 10 years of misrule’, says AICC gen secy
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal on Monday said the Congress-led UDF’s sweeping victory in the Kerala Assembly polls was a clear verdict against the “arrogance”, corruption, and nepotism of the CPI(M)-led LDF government headed by CM Pinarayi Vijayan.
Addressing a press conference as counting of votes for all 140 Assembly constituencies neared completion, Venugopal said the outcome reflected public anger against what he termed “10 years of misrule” by the Left government.
He claimed that Vijayan’s victory in his home constituency, Dharmadam, was “only technical”, alleging that the CM trailed the UDF candidate in the initial rounds of counting and failed to secure a majority in his own village.
“He just escaped. He suffered a setback even in his home turf. He was the only person who did not realise the people’s mood in this election,” Venugopal said.
Alleging that the CPI(M) and the LDF had resorted to “communal and opportunistic politics”, he further claimed that the ruling front had entered into a “secret understanding” with the BJP in a bid to retain power for a third consecutive term.
He said that when a government driven by power and arrogance attempts to align with anyone to stay in office, even its own cadre turns against it.
Referring to the results, Venugopal said that while the UDF expected rebel CPI(M) leaders, including K Kunhikrishnan in Payyannur, to impact the vote share, their victories came as a surprise.
Describing the UDF’s performance as a “historic victory”, he attributed it to coordinated teamwork, grassroots mobilisation, and the dedication of party workers, adding that the alliance accepted the mandate “with humility”.
Venugopal also credited Rahul Gandhi’s campaign guarantees, calling them a “trump card” that helped voters focus on real issues and reject what he described as the LDF’s “false narratives”.
He claimed that the Congress witnessed one of its lowest levels of rebellion in this election, which contributed to the alliance’s strong performance.
The senior Congress leader further alleged that the BJP managed to win two seats with the help of the CPI(M), and asserted that forces attempting to divide society on communal lines should “learn a lesson” from Kerala’s verdict.
“This is the real Kerala story,” he said.
On the question of the next Chief Minister, Venugopal said the party leadership would decide at the earliest after due consultations.
The counting of votes began on Monday morning for all 140 Assembly constituencies in Kerala, where the Congress-led UDF secured a decisive majority, defeating the CPI(M)-led LDF, which was seeking an unprecedented third consecutive term in office.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) posts, "Thank you to my brothers and sisters in Keralam for a truly decisive mandate. Congratulations to every UDF leader and worker for a hard-fought, well-run campaign. As I said before, Keralam has the talent, Keralam has the potential… pic.twitter.com/6T4IZbEmp4
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 4, 2026
