Tragic Kerala Highway Crash: One Dead, 20 Injured as Speeding Bus Overturns in Malappuram

MALAPPURAM — A horrific road accident on Sunday morning left one person dead and at least 20 others injured after a speeding private bus lost control and overturned near Kuttippuram in Kerala's Malappuram district.

The deceased has been identified as 31-year-old Vaishnav, a native of Kozhikode. Three of the injured passengers, including the bus conductor, remain in critical condition at local hospitals.

The accident occurred between 10:30 AM and 11:00 AM on Sunday, July 26, 2026 near the Kuttippuram Rail over Bridge (ROB) on National Highway 66. The private bus, named 'Defender', was navigating the Thrissur-Kozhikode route with approximately 30 passengers on board.

CCTV footage captured the exact moment of the catastrophe. While descending a slope in rainy conditions, the bus violently skidded and veered to the left. It collided with an auto rickshaw before hurtling out of control and skidding for over 25 meters. The vehicle then slammed into a road barrier and a concrete divider, which separated the highway from the service road.

The impact was so severe that the chassis of the bus ripped completely apart in the middle. The bus overturned onto its back, with the front portion crashing on top of a car parked along the service road that had been involved in a separate minor accident two days prior. Vaishnav, who was reportedly sitting near the middle of the bus, was thrown out by the sheer force of the impact and died on the spot.

Following the crash, an immediate rescue operation was launched by local residents, the Kerala Police, and Fire and Rescue Services personnel. First responders had to use heavy equipment to cut open the mangled parts of the overturned bus to extricate several passengers who were trapped inside the wreckage.

The injured were swiftly evacuated from the scene and admitted to private and government hospitals across Kuttippuram, Valanchery, Kottakkal, and Kozhikode for urgent medical attention.

Transport Minister C.P. John expressed deep condolences over Vaishnav's death and announced a comprehensive investigation into the incident. Alongside the ongoing police case registered under relevant legal sections, the State Transport Commissioner has been directed to conduct a specialized post-crash inquiry and submit a detailed report to the district collector.

"Only after receiving the report will we be able to ascertain whether speeding, the wet weather, or unscientific road construction was the primary reason for the accident," the Minister stated. Meanwhile, locals have raised concerns over the design of the highway stretch, noting that the narrowing road near the slope has turned the spot into a notorious accident-prone zone.