THOOTHUKUDI: Three woman devotees on padayatra to Irukkangudi Mariamman Temple were run over by a car near Ottapidaram in Thoothukudi district on Thursday. Sources said the devotees from Veerapandiyapattanam and nearby areas had left for the temple on foot on Wednesday evening and reached Thoothukudi at night.
After an overnight stay here, the pilgrims resumed their padayatra early on Thursday. They made a pit stop for lunch and rest at a school in Kurukusalai area before continuing their journey at 4 pm.
Hardly they had covered 1 km from Kurukusalai area when a car rammed them from behind, killing two of them on the spot. Police have identified the deceased as Kasthuri (55) from Karambanvilai, Sundarrani (60) from Veerapandiyapattanam and Esakiammal (55) also from Veerapandiyapattanam.
While Kasthuri and Sundarrani were killed on the spot, Esakiammal died on the way to Thoothukudi GH. The Ottapidaram police have detained car driver M Ramprasath (32) of Thanjavur. Sources said that Ramprasath had gone to Thiruchendur Subramaniya Swamy temple. He was returning to Thanjavur when the accident occurred.