TIRUCHY: Pudukottai MLA S P Muthukumaran (43), known for his simplicity and clean public life, died on Sunday, when the car in which he was travelling overturned at Sokkanathapatty village near Ariyur.
The MLA was returning after attending a private function at Annavasal with Pudukottai CPI secretary R Muruganandham. When the car was approaching Ariyur, the front tyre of the car got punctured. The driver lost control of the vehicle and the car overturned. Muthukumaran, who sustained fatal injuries on the head in the mishap, died on the spot.
The driver, Manikandan, and Muruganandham suffered injuries. Viralimalai MLA Baskar rushed to the spot and identified Muthukumaran’s body, which was was brought to the Pudukottai town hall, where Union Minister of State S Reghupathy, State Ministers R Vaithlingam, MLAs Vairamuthu, K P Krishnan and M Rajanayagam, functionaries of various parties and officials paid homage to him. Muthukumaran’s body will be taken to his native village, Neduvasal, where the funeral will take place.
His is survived by his wife Susheela, daughter Narmadha and son Nareshkumar.
He contested as the candidate of CPI which was part of the AIADMK front in 2011 Assembly polls. He defeated his nearest DMK rival by a margin of about 3,000 votes.