KOCHI: A tempo-van driver was killed and 18 women passengers in the vehicle were injured after it collided with a timber-loaded lorry at Nayathodu Junction near Angamaly on the MC Road stretch.

The accident took place at around 2.10 am on Friday. Police suspect that the lorry driver dozed off and lost control of the vehicle.

The deceased is identified as Abdul Majeed, (53) of Thachkodu in Palakkad.

The injured women are identified as M Sandhya (35), Anitha (34), Rajitha (42), Dhanya Priya (38), Mini Udayan (30), C Sajida (34), Usha (45), Reena (39), M Sajida (38), Rajitha (38), Geetha (35), Sameesha (41), Sarada (48), Sandhya (39), Jalaja (45), Jayanthi (35), Sindhu (35) and Viju (42).