Thu Jan 02 04:52:07 UTC 2025: ## School Bus Driver Charged with Culpable Homicide After Fatal Accident in Kerala
**Kannur, Kerala – January 2, 2025** – A school bus driver has been charged with culpable homicide following a fatal accident in Valakkai, Kannur, Kerala, that killed an 11-year-old girl and injured several other students. The Sreekandapuram police registered the case against the driver, Nizam, under sections 281, 125(a), and 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, citing reckless driving as the cause.
The accident occurred on Wednesday, January 1st, around 4:30 PM, as the bus descended a slope. While the driver claimed brake failure, a preliminary report by the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) contradicts this, attributing the accident to driver negligence, excessive speed, and the road’s poor construction. The MVD also revealed that the bus’s fitness certificate expired on December 29, 2024, despite the school’s claims to the contrary.
Further investigation is underway, with suspicions arising that Nizam was intoxicated at the time of the accident. Local residents have corroborated these suspicions, prompting the MVD to request a medical examination of the driver. Police are also investigating whether the driver was using his mobile phone, as a WhatsApp status update was reportedly made around the time of the crash.
The MVD has initiated proceedings to suspend the driver’s license. Legal and forensic examinations are continuing to determine the full circumstances surrounding the tragic incident.
First Piper 