Pollachi/ Malappuram: Ambulances carrying the bodies of nine Malayali victims of the Valparai road accident rolled out of Pollachi at around 6.30 am on Saturday, moving in a convoy towards Malappuram after a night of post-mortem procedures.

Nine from Malappuram tourist group killed in Valparai fall

Nine members of a 12-member tourist group from Kerala’s Malappuram district were killed after their van plunged off a hairpin bend on the Valparai ghat road in Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore district on Friday. The group had been on a vacation when the accident occurred.

Police said the group comprised staff members of the Pang-Palliparamba Government LPS and UP School at Kuruva in Malappuram, along with their relatives.

The deceased were identified as school headmistress Ajitha, 54, a resident of Paloor; teachers Ramla, 52, Suhara, 43, Majeed, 43 — all from Pang — and Asha, 41, from Kolathur; Majeed’s wife Ruqiya, 39; school cook Sajitha, 45; Hisham, 12; and Shakeela, 37, a UP school teacher.

Post-mortem completed overnight, convoy heads home

Post-mortem examinations were carried out at a hospital in Pollachi, beginning around midnight and concluding by 4 am under a special order to expedite the process.

Soon after, ambulances carrying the bodies set out together for Malappuram at around 6.30 am.

A public viewing is scheduled later in the day at Ambalaparambu Higher Secondary School, Pang, followed by funeral rites.

Injured in ICU, child shifted to district hospital

According to sources, Noushad, 39, Sahadeen, 11, Masneen, 10, and van driver Mohammed Fasith, 21, were injured.

Three of them, including the driver Mohammed Hafis, are undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit at Coimbatore Government Medical College Hospital with serious injuries. Those critically injured include Sahadeen, 11, son of Sajitha; driver Mohammed Hafis, 22; and school driver Noushad, 39.

Masneen, 11, who sustained minor injuries, was shifted to Perinthalmanna District Hospital. She is the daughter of deceased teacher Shakeela. The transfer was carried out on the direction of the District Medical Officer, with necessary arrangements made at the hospital. Minister K Krishnankutty visited her on Friday.