THOOTHUKUDI: Three persons including a seven-year-old boy died after a rickshaw carrying them collided with a car near Soorankudi in Thoothukudi district on Sunday. The deceased have been identified as Thangammal (35) of Thangachimadam, Mariammal (60), wife of one Arumugam, and Sateesh, son of one Murugan.
According to sources, Silambarasan of Thangachimadam in Ramanathapuram visits various villages in the rickshaw to collect old papers and plastic bottles, which he later sells, to make a living. On Sunday morning, six persons including his wife Thangammal, Mariammal and Sateesh, went to Kezha Shanmugapuram near Soorankudikudi to collect the bottles.
After collection, they boarded the rickshaw and were on their way back. While the vehicle was crossing the East Coast road from Kezha Sanmugapuram, the car, en route to Vellankanni from Kanniyakumari, allegedly hit them. While three of them died on the spot, Silambarasan, and the occupants of the car -- Selvaraj and Kumari Thangam -- sustained injuries, and were admitted to Thoothukudi government medical college hospital, sources added.
Meanwhile, Soorankudi police sent the bodies to Vilathikulam government hospital for postmortem, and an investigation is under way. It may be noted that road accidents are common at the Kezha Shanmugapuram area, considering the increased number of heavy vehicles plying through the region.