Nine From Kerala Die In Road Mishap In Tamil Nadu's Valparai
The van was carrying teachers and students of a school in Malappuram district of Kerala. The deceased include eight teachers.


Published : April 17, 2026 at 8:55 PM IST
|Updated : April 17, 2026 at 10:52 PM IST
Pollachi: Nine persons from Kerala died after the van (Tempo Traveller) in which they were travelling fell into an 800-feet deep gorge at Pollachi in Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu.
Police said the van, enroute to Pollachi from Athirapilly, crashed into a guardrail at the 13th bend in Valparai. The van was carrying students and teachers of Pang Palliparamba School in Malappuram district of Kerala. Some of the teachers on board the van were accompanied by their family members.
The deceased were identified as Ajitha (54), a native of Pulamanthol and the school's headmistress; Ramla (52); Suhara (43); Asha (41); Majeed (43); Sajitha (45); Shakeela (37), Rukhiya (39), all teachers and natives of Pang. This apart, the deceased include the driver of the van Naushad (39).
Police said the van was carrying 16 passengers. After touring Valparai, the passengers were returning to Kerala via Pollachi on Friday evening when the mishap occurred. "At the 13th Kondai Ayu bend on the Valparai Hill Road, the driver lost control of the vehicle which hit the guardrail and fell into an 800-feet deep gorge in the forest," said a police officer.
Those injured in the mishap were taken to Pollachi Government Hospital for treatment. The bodies of the deceased were recovered by personnel of Valparai police and fire department. The vehicle was mangled in the mishap.
தமிழ்நாட்டின் கோயம்புத்தூரில் நிகழ்ந்த விபத்தை அறிந்து மிகுந்த வேதனையடைந்தேன். இந்த விபத்தில் தங்கள் அன்புக்குரியவர்களை இழந்தவர்களுக்கு எனது ஆழ்ந்த இரங்கல்களைத் தெரிவித்துக்கொள்கிறேன். காயமடைந்தவர்கள் விரைவில் குணமடைய பிரார்த்திக்கிறேன்: பிரதமர் @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) April 17, 2026
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased. In a post on X, he said, "I was deeply saddened to learn of the accident that occurred in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. I extend my deepest condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in this accident. I pray that the injured recover swiftly".
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