Police jeep carrying theft accused overturns, killing street vendor

Wayanad: A pushcart trader was killed after being rammed over by a police jeep at Valliyoorkavu here on Wednesday. The deceased is identified as Arattuthara native Thottunkal Sreedharan (65).

The incident happened around 2:30 p.m. Sreedharan was engaged in his business near the Valliyoorkavu temple premises. According to witnesses, the police jeep bound for Sulthan Bathery, carrying an accused from Kannur, skidded off the road and hit Sreedharan.

Sreedharan was rushed to the Mananthavadi Government Medical College but could not be saved. Civil police officers K B Prasanth, Jolly Samuel, V Krishnan, and the accused, Praveesh, a native of Mahe, Thalassery, sustained injuries. 

Meanwhile, locals protested at the spot, alleging that the poor condition of the vehicle caused the accident. They pointed out that the tyres of the jeep were completely worn out, causing it to lose control on the road, which was slippery after the rain. 

Locals refused to allow the police to shift the jeep from the accident spot, demanding that higher officials from the transport department inspect the vehicle. The jeep was only released after the Regional Transport Officer reached the spot and examined it. The vehicle belonged to the Ambalavayal police station.

Sreedharan is survived by wife Leela, children Manoj, Pramod, Vinod, Sheeba and Reena.