TIRUPUR/ DHARMAPURI/ THANJAVUR : Six persons died were killed after the van in which they were travelling collided with a government bus near Dharapuram during the wee hours of Tuesday.
According to police, Dhanabal (31), a power loom unit worker of Pagalaiyur at Vijayamangalam near Tirupur was returning home with his family members and relatives in an omni van after having a darshan at the Murugan temple at Tiruchendur on Monday.
While the devotees were passing through Karungalivalasu Pirivu on Dharapuram-Madurai Road around 1 am on Tuesday, suddenly the driver lost
control and the vehicle rammed a Tirupur-bound TNSTC bus from Shencottah. In the impact, all the nine inmates of the van, including the driver, sustained grievous injuries. Dhanabal, his mother Shantha (50), his eight-month-old son Harish, his relative Santhosh (16) from Palani, van driver Velliangiri died on the spot.
On information, police broke open the vehicle and rescued Abirami (21), wife of Dhanapal, Thirumoorthy (30) and Sivasankari (23), and their daughter Malar (8). All of them were rushed to the CMCH, where Thirumoorthy died.
Meanwhile, fifteen people were injured when their van fell off a bridge into a river on Gopinathampatti joint road in Harur in Dharmapuri on Monday night.
According to sources, the group was returning after attending a function in Tirupur. The vehicle was proceeding to Harur when the driver lost control of it while negotiating a sharp curve on a bridge and the van fell into the Vaniyaru river.
All the 15 sustained minor injuries and were given first aid at the Harur GH. Later they were admitted to the Government Dharmapuri Medical College Hospital. “All of them will be discharged soon,” said hospital sources.
Meanwhile, a 35-year-old woman died and her four-year-old daughter and a relative were injured when a lorry hit their bike, near Papanasam on Tuesday.
The victim was identified as Kavitha (35), of Papanasam. She and her daughter Bavadarani (4) were traveling on a motorcycle driven by one Raja. When the motorcycle was on Papanasam-Saliyamangalam road, a lorry rammed the bike.