8 Killed As Car Rams Into Parked Lorry In Kerala's Thrissur - NDTV

**Thrissur, Kerala –** A tragic road accident claimed the lives of eight engineering students from Tamil Nadu on the evening of September 4, 2026, when a speeding car collided with a parked lorry on National Highway 66 near the city of Thrissur. The victims, all second‑year students of a reputed engineering college in Coimbatore, were traveling together in a private vehicle after attending a technical workshop in Kerala. According to the Kerala police, the car, driven by a 24‑year‑old local resident, attempted to overtake the stationary lorry at high speed and lost control, slamming into the rear of the truck and bursting into flames. Emergency responders from the district’s fire and rescue services arrived within minutes, but the intensity of the blaze and the severity of the impact left the eight occupants fatally injured.

Kerala Police Commissioner K. Radhakrishnan confirmed that a post‑mortem examination is underway and that the driver has been detained for questioning on charges of reckless driving and culpable homicide. Preliminary investigations suggest the vehicle was traveling at approximately 80 km/h in a 50 km/h zone, and the driver’s alleged attempt to overtake the lorry violated multiple traffic regulations. The police have also launched a broader inquiry into the safety of temporary traffic arrangements on NH 66, which has seen a surge in inter‑state commuter traffic during the academic season.

The incident prompted immediate reactions from both state and Tamil Nadu authorities. Tamil Nadu’s Higher Education Minister, M. K. Madhusudhan, expressed “deep grief” and promised full cooperation with the Kerala investigation, while the college’s principal announced a period of mourning and pledged financial assistance to the families of the deceased. Kerala’s Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, urged stricter enforcement of speed limits and called for improved road‑safety awareness among young drivers, especially on busy national highways that link multiple states.