Two Sabarimala Pilgrims Killed in Car-Tourist Bus Collision in Kerala

The late-night accident in Kollam left three others, including two children, critically injured as they returned from the pilgrimage site.

The accident occurred around 11:30 PM on Saturday near Nettathara on MC Road in Kollam, Kerala, involving a car carrying Sabarimala pilgrims and a tourist bus.
Two Tamil Nadu residents, Saravanan (30) and Shanmukhan Achari (70), were killed; one died on the spot, and the other succumbed to injuries on Sunday morning.
Three others, including two children aged 14 and 10, and the car's driver, sustained serious injuries and are undergoing treatment at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College.
Eyewitnesses and the bus driver provided conflicting accounts of the cause, with claims of reckless overtaking by the bus and allegations of the car being on the wrong side of the road.
The accident comes as Kerala prepares for the upcoming 'makaravilakku' festival at Sabarimala, which is expected to draw tens of thousands of devotees daily.