TIRUNELVELI: A mini-lorry transporting goods from Chennai to Thiruvananthapuram collided with a TNSTC bus on Tirunelveli-Kanniyakumari national highway at Moondradaippu in the early hours here on Friday. The mini-lorry, driven by S Mahesh (20) from Padalayarkulam, lost control and crashed head-on into the bus traveling from Nagercoil to Tirunelveli.
The collision shattered the front portion of the bus and crushed the mini-lorry's cabin, killing Mahesh and S Usilavel (36) from Mudhalaikulam on the spot. Moondradaippu police arrived on the scene and alerted the fire and rescue services personnel. Firefighters retrieved both bodies after a hour-long rescue effort and sent them to the Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital for postmortem.
In a different incident, S Manikandan (29) of Thoothukudi died in Maranthai on Tirunelveli-Tenkasi State highway after he fell from his two-wheeler. His friend Nishanth, the pillion rider, was injured in the accident. The duo was on their way to Courtallam from Thoothukudi. The Alangulam police registered a case in this connection.