School staff killed in Tamil Nadu accident; parents and locals gather at Kerala school

Parents of students and locals gathered at Pang-Palliparamba Government Lower Primary School at Kuruva here on Friday after its teachers and staff were killed in a road accident in neighbouring Tamil Nadu. Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) members and Kuruva panchayat representatives were among those who assembled on the school premises following the incident.

A PTA member told reporters that a 16-member group, including some teachers, staff, and their children, had gone on the trip. "It was not a tour organised by the school. Teachers and staff went on the trip during the vacation period. Some of them had posted photos as WhatsApp status," the PTA member said.

According to them, the group set out on Friday morning, visited the Athirappilly Waterfalls in Thrissur, and then proceeded to Valparai. "The exact cause of the accident is yet to be known. As per our information, the bodies of the deceased and the injured are being shifted from Pollachi to Coimbatore.

Also read UP: Class 11 student hangs self after failing in exams

There are claims that 12 people have died, but there is no official confirmation yet," a panchayat member said. PTA members said that during a school event held on April 4, some teachers had mentioned plans for a tour during the vacation. "There are teachers, helpers and their children in the group. All of them are from the Kuruva area.

Their relatives are on the way to Coimbatore," a PTA member said. State Police Chief Ravada A Chandrasekhar said Kerala Police is in touch with their counterparts in Tamil Nadu. "Police from Malappuram and Palakkad have collected details from officials in Coimbatore. A team will be sent to Coimbatore and Pollachi soon. The exact number of deaths and injuries will be confirmed shortly," he said.