Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): At least 17 persons, including students, suffered injuries after a tourist bus overturned near here on Saturday, police said.

According to police, the injured include teachers and students of a college in Kodakara in Thrissur district, who were on their way to Vizhinjam port as part of an industrial visit.

The accident occurred around 3.30 am when the bus, travelling on the National Highway service road at Ethukkad near Navaikulam, lost control, rammed into a house and overturned, police said. There was minor damage to the house, but the family living in it was safe.

There were around 42 people in the bus, including students, teachers and the bus crew.

Residents rushed to the spot and helped rescue the stranded passengers, who were later shifted to a hospital in Parippally, police said.

Of the injured, one person sustained serious injuries and was later shifted to a hospital in Kollam, police added.

Police have launched an investigation to ascertain the cause of the accident. Officials said CCTV footage from the bus would be examined as part of the probe.

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Bengaluru: Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has slammed the BJP government in the Centre for the hike in the price of commercial LPG, saying the sudden rise of the fuel rate by Rs 993 a cylinder has hit the common man hard.

Critically commenting that this was expected of the Centre after elections to five states, Rao posted in Kannada on his ‘X’ account on Saturday that the people have been shown only the trailer and, the real struggle is yet to begin.

“Since there is no election in any state, there will certainly be major hikes in the rates of petrol, diesel and domestic LPG in barely a few days,” he has predicted.

The minister has further tweeted, “The rate of commercial LPG has gone up to Rs 3,152 per cylinder, which will hit the hotel industry greatly. Ironically, the direct impact of the hike will be on customers of hotel.”

He pointed out that, earlier, the price used to be hiked by approximately Rs 50 and Rs 100 a cylinder. “This time, the rate has been shot up by Rs 993. What do we call this except daylight robbery? Can this be the ‘Acche Din’ that the BJP has been promising?” Rao asked mockingly.

He also questioned the cause for BJP members’ silence for the rate hike, reminding that the party always ‘threw a tantrum’ when a non-BJP government does so even at a minor level. “Does this reflect their fear of ‘Vishwaguru’ Modi? Is it the party’s sheer disregard for the welfare of the people?” he has questioned.