Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Inquest into death of eight Indians in M1 road crash suspended

An inquest into the deaths of eight Indians killed last month in one of the UK's worst road accidents and was suspended today (5) pending police investigation, just hours after it was opened.

The inquest by Coroner Tom Osborne at the Crownhill Crematorium site on Dansteed Way in Milton Keynes, southern England, formally identified the victims as Indians based in the UK and some of their friends and members of their families who were in the UK as tourists.


Those who died in the collision have been formally named as Karthikeyan Pugalur Ramasubramanian,33, and his wife, Lavanyalakshmi Seetharaman,32, who were from the Alwarthirunagar area of Chennai; Panneerselvam Annamalai, 63, from the Nagar area of Chennai; Subramaniyan Arachelvan, 58, and his wife Tamilmani Arachelvan, 50, from the Saket area of Delhi; Vivek Baskaran, 26, from the Avaiyambalpuram area of Mayiladuthurai;  Rishi Rajeev Kumar, 27, from Kerala and [British Indian] Cyriac Joseph, 52, who lived in Nottingham, a Thames Valley Police statement said today.

Chief inspector Henry Parsons, from the forces Joint Operations Unit for Roads Policing, said his team is conducting a "substantial" police investigation into the crash after which the inquest into the deaths can be closed.

"We are continuing to support and update the families of those who died in the collision, as well as those who were injured and remain in hospital. Our thoughts remain with everyone involved at this time," he said.

Karthikeyan Ramasubramaniyam Pugalur, Rishi Rajeev Kumar, and Vivek Bhaskaran had been identified by Indian software company Wipro as its employees who were among those killed in the deadly accident on a highway in Buckinghamshire, southern England, when the mini bus they were travelling in got crushed between two large trucks.

Shravathi Ramasubramanian, the four-year-old daughter of Karthikeyan and Lavanyalakshmi who died in the accident, is being cared for by two of her relatives at Birmingham Childrens hospital and her condition is said to be stable.

Three others hospitalised after the crash include Mano Ranjan Panneerselvam, another Wipro employee, at St John Radcliffe Hospital, his wife at Milton Keynes Hospital, and his aunt at Cardiff hospital.

They are in a stable condition and their condition is improving, said Jacob Ravibalan, chair of the World Tamil Organisation (UK) ? a group that is providing support on the ground.

"After the coroner hands over the bodies to funeral directors, we are expecting that their reparation to India can take place by this weekend," he said.

Cyriac Joseph, the Kerala-born owner of Nottingham-based ABC Travels and driver of the minibus who was among those who lost their lives in the highway pile-up, is expected to be given his last rites in the UK.

The fatal collision took place on the M1 motorway near Newport Pagnell in the early hours of August 26 as the families from India were en-route from Nottingham to London to set off on a European holiday.

Two lorry drivers ? Ryszard Masierak and David Wagstaff, have since been charged with causing death by dangerous driving and are set to appear in court later this month.

Masierak, who will appear at Aylesbury Crown Court on September 26, has also been charged with being almost twice the legal drink drive limit at the time of the crash.

Wagstaff will appear before Milton Keynes Magistrates? Court on September 11.

More For You

F-35B jet

The UK has agreed to move the aircraft to the Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility at the airport.

Indian Air Force

F-35B jet still stranded in Kerala, UK sends engineers for repair

UK AVIATION engineers are arriving in Thiruvananthapuram to carry out repairs on an F-35B Lightning jet belonging to the Royal Navy, which has remained grounded after an emergency landing 12 days ago.

The jet is part of the HMS Prince of Wales Carrier Strike Group of the UK's Royal Navy. It made the emergency landing at Thiruvananthapuram airport on June 14. The aircraft, valued at over USD 110 million, is among the most advanced fighter jets in the world.

Keep ReadingShow less
Ahmedabad air crash
Relatives carry the coffin of a victim, who was killed in the Air India Flight 171 crash, during a funeral ceremony in Ahmedabad on June 15, 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)

Ahmedabad crash: Grief, denial and trauma haunt families

TWO weeks after the crash of Air India flight AI-171 in Ahmedabad, families of victims are grappling with grief and trauma. Psychiatrists are now working closely with many who continue to oscillate between denial and despair.

The crash occurred on June 12, when the London-bound flight hit the BJ Medical College complex shortly after takeoff, killing 241 people on board and 29 on the ground. Only one passenger survived.

Keep ReadingShow less
Starmer apologises for 'island of strangers' immigration speech

Prime minister Keir Starmer delivers a speech at The British Chambers of Commerce Global Annual Conference in London on June 26, 2025. (Photo by EDDIE MULHOLLAND/AFP via Getty Images)

Starmer apologises for 'island of strangers' immigration speech

PRIME MINISTER Sir Keir Starmer has admitted he was wrong to warn that Britain could become an "island of strangers" due to high immigration, saying he "deeply" regrets the controversial phrase.

Speaking to The Observer, Sir Keir said he would not have used those words if he had known they would be seen as echoing the language of Enoch Powell's notorious 1968 "rivers of blood" speech.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sir Sajid Javid leads commission 'tackling social divisions'

Sir Sajid Javid (Photo by Tom Nicholson-WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Sir Sajid Javid leads commission 'tackling social divisions'

A cross-party group has been formed to tackle the deep divisions that sparked last summer's riots across England. The new commission will be led by former Tory minister Sir Sajid Javid and ex-Labour MP Jon Cruddas.

The Independent Commission on Community and Cohesion has backing from both prime minister Sir Keir Starmer and Tory leader Kemi Badenoch. It brings together 19 experts from different political parties and walks of life.

Keep ReadingShow less
​Masum

Masum was seen on CCTV trying to steer the pram away and, when she refused to go with him, stabbed her multiple times before walking away and boarding a bus. (Photo: West Yorkshire Police)

West Yorkshire Police

Habibur Masum convicted of murdering estranged wife in front of baby

A MAN who stabbed his estranged wife to death in Bradford in front of their baby has been convicted of murder.

Habibur Masum, 26, attacked 27-year-old Kulsuma Akter in broad daylight on April 6, 2024, stabbing her more than 25 times while she pushed their seven-month-old son in a pram. The baby was not harmed.

Keep ReadingShow less