SALEM: Two women were killed and five others sustained serious injuries after a tipper lorry lost control and rammed into a group of people standing at a bus stop at Pathangal Medu near Karumapuram in Salem district, on Tuesday.
The deceased were identified as K Gayathri (35) and her mother-in-law M Chinnapillai (60), residents of Karumapuram near Ayothiapattinam. Police said the women were standing at the Pathangal Medu bus stop when a two-wheeler rider, identified as Semman (60) of Perumapalayam, allegedly rode his vehicle extremely close to them, which led to a heated verbal altercation between the rider and the two women.
During the argument, a man on a bicycle and two persons on another two-wheeler stopped nearby and were watching the exchange. At the same time, a tipper lorry heading towards Vazhapadi on the national highway, driven by Arulkumaran, was travelling alongside a container lorry when the two heavy vehicles lightly brushed against each other, causing the tipper lorry to lose balance and travel off the road.
The out-of-control tipper lorry then crashed into the people standing near the bus stop. Gayathri was killed on the spot while Chinnapillai sustained critical injuries and died while being taken to the hospital.
The cyclist, the two persons on the two-wheeler and two occupants of the tipper lorry were seriously injured in the accident and are currently undergoing treatment at the Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital. Karipatty police have registered a case and are investigating.