CUDDALORE: Nine persons were killed and six others were injured in a road accident involving a State Express Transport Corporation (SETC) bus and two cars on a national highway near Thittakudi in Cuddalore district.
Three women, three men, and a two-year-old child travelling in the car were killed on the spot.
Two more bus passengers died at the Government Hospital in Perambalur.
According to police and local sources, the accident occurred at Ezhuthur when a government bus travelling from Tiruchy to Chennai suffered a front tyre burst.
The driver lost control of the vehicle, which crossed the median and entered the opposite carriageway.
The bus then collided with two cars that were travelling from Chennai towards Tiruchy.
Ramanatham police rushed to the scene, recovered the bodies and shifted the injured to the Perambalur Government Hospital.
The police have begun an inquiry to ascertain the identities of the victims and details of their travel, including their place of origin and destination.
Two of the deceased were identified as car drivers Jeyakumar (65) of Karur and M Durairaj (40) of Lalgudi. Rajeshwari (55) and Rajarathinam (65), passengers in a car from Karur, were also among the dead.
Police said efforts are on to identify the remaining victims. Cuddalore Collector Sibi Adithya Senthil Kumar and Superintendent of Police S Jeyakumar inspected the spot and conducted an inquiry. Speaking to reporters, SP Jeyakumar said, “Transport department officials are probing the accident to ascertain the exact cause.”
Chief Minister MK Stalin expressed his condolences to the kin of the dead and announced a solatium of Rs 3 lakh each to the kin of the deceased and Rs 1 lakh each to those injured.