THANJAVUR: Five persons, including four women, died and another woman was injured when a speeding mini-truck rammed into a group of devotees, who were undertaking a padayatra to the Samayapuram Mariamman Temple, on the Thanjavur-Tiruchy National Highway at Valambakkudi in Thanjavur on Wednesday morning.
According to sources, 87 people from Kannukudipatti village near Gandarvakkottai of Pudukkottai embarked on the annual padayatra on Wednesday, the first day of the Tamil month Aadi. The devotees were walking in small groups of two to three persons on the far left side of the NH.
When they were passing via Valambakkudi, the driver of a speeding mini-truck lost control of the vehicle and mowed down a few groups of devotees, before coming to halt.
In the impact, C Muthusamy (60), M Rani (37), R Mohanambal (27), and K Meena (26) died on the spot. S Dhanalaksmi (36) and K Sangeetha (26), who were grievously injured, were rushed to the Thanjavur Medical College Hospital.
Rs 2 Lakh solatium announced by CM to bereaved families
While Dhanalakshmi was declared dead on arrival, Sangeetha is under treatment. The Sengippatti police registered a case against truck driver A Soundararajan of Manjanayakkanpatti in Karur.
Official sources said Soundararajan was returning to Karur after unloading rice bags at shops in Thanjavur. Chief Minister M K Stalin condoled the deaths and announced a solatium of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the victims and Rs 1 lakh to the injured.