Speeding van kills three girls in Kollam

Kollam: Three young girls were killed after a speeding pick-up van rammed them at Urukunnu junction on Kollam–Thirumangalam national highway near Thenmala around 3.45pm on Wednesday.
The deceased were identified as Salini (14) and Sruthi (11) – daughters of Alex and Sindhu – and Kesia (16) daughter of Kunjumon and Suja.
The families are neighbours and reside in Urukunnu area.Kesia has a brother named Tison.
Sruthi and Kesia died on the spot while Salini died on the way to Thiruvananthapuram medical college.
The pickup van fell into a wayside paddy field after the accident. Salini and Sruthi were going to their uncle Santhosh’s shop when the pick-up van, returning to Tamil Nadu, hit them.
Though people rushed the three children to Punalur taluk hospital, Kesia and Sruthi were declared dead.
Their bodies were later shifted to the mortuary. The driver of the van, Venkitesh, has been taken into custody.
Alex is the NDA candidate in Netaji ward of Thenmala grama panchayat.