Vadakara: In an incident where two people tragically died in a caravan parked on the roadside at Karimbanappalam in Vadakara, the police have sought the help of the Kozhikode National Institute of Technology (NIT) for an investigation into how carbon monoxide entered the vehicle. 

The authorities have issued a letter to the NIT, and a team reached Vadakara on Friday for a preliminary investigation. A detailed test will be conducted within a week to determine the exact cause.

The deceased have been identified as Manoj (48), a native of Malappuram, and Joel (26), from Kasaragod. Both were employees of Frontline Hospitality and Property Management, the owners of the caravan.

Initial police findings suggest that carbon monoxide inhalation caused the deaths. The police suspect the gas was released from the generator that powered the vehicle's air conditioning system, which was running while the duo were resting inside the vehicle. To confirm this theory, it has been decided to test the presence of carbon monoxide after restarting the generator and turning on the AC.

NIT was roped in to carry out this investigation in the most scientifically rigorous manner.

During an inspection by the police and the Motor Vehicles Department, the generator cabin in the caravan was found to have a tag indicating that the generator should not be operated in a closed space without proper ventilation. The tag also highlighted that the gas emitted by the generator contains carbon monoxide, which can be fatal.