NAMAKKAL: Two youth, aged 14 and 17, who were practising to drive a car died after being hit by a speeding vehicle when they strayed on to the highway on Monday night at Kabilarmalai in Namakkal district.
According to Jedarpalayam police, around 11 pm on Monday, R Lokesh (17) of Ayyampalayam stealthily drove away his father Ramasamy’s Maruti omni van when he was fast asleep, and set out with his friend R Sudarsan (14) to practise driving.
Sudarsan who was at the wheel entered the Kabilarmalai-Paramathi state highway and was hit by a Toyota Fortuner driven by P Vignesh (37) from Erugur in Erode district.
Jedarpalayam police said the van entered the highway from a side street and V Vignesh could not notice it as the headlights were not turned on. The impact of the collision was so severe that the boys died on the spot. Vignesh too suffered injuries.
Locals informed the authorities, and Jedarpalayam police sent the bodies of Sudarsan and Lokesh to the government hospital in Paramathi-Velur for post-mortem examination. Vignesh was admitted in a hospital. Police have registered a case and are investigating.