Was the driver using phone at time of accident? Evidence points to WhatsApp status update

Kannur: The bus accident in Sreekandapuram involving school children, which claimed the life of a 11-year-old student, has raised suspicions of negligence by the driver.

Reports suggest that the driver, Nizam, allegedly updated his WhatsApp status at 4:03 p.m., coinciding with the time of the accident. CCTV footage also shows the same time stamp, raising suspicions that he may have been using his mobile phone at the time of the accident.

The WhatsApp status, which was aired by Mathrubhumi News, shows some students seated at school. 

However, Nizam denied using his mobile phone at the time, stating that the WhatsApp status might have been an automatic update from an earlier post. He claimed that the accident happened because the bus brakes failed at the turn. Nizam also revealed that the bus lacked fitness certification and had reported brake issues to the school management.

The Motor Vehicles Department (MVD), after inspecting the bus, refuted the claim of brake failure. They confirmed the presence of brake marks on the road and suggested that the driver was overspeeding and maneuvered the turn in an unscientific manner. Enforcement RTO Riyas stated that the driver's negligence was evident.

The bus, a 2011 model, did not have a valid fitness certificate, which had expired on December 29 but was extended to April.

The accident happened on Wednesday evening while the bus was transporting students home from Chinmaya School. Injured students are currently undergoing treatment at a hospital in Taliparamba.