COIMBATORE: A pedestrian was killed and three others injured when a car rammed them on Oppanakkara Street near Ukkadam on Thursday morning, after the driver suffered a sudden epileptic seizure.
Police said the car was driven by S Santhosh Kumar (38), a bank professional, who was travelling with his father, Sethuraman (70), to Pollachi to celebrate Pongal. At 7.35 am, as the vehicle approached Ukkadam, Santhosh Kumar suffered a seizure, lost control of the car and veered onto the footpath. Kabeer (55) was killed on the spot, while three others — Easwari (43) of Virudhunagar, J Sivakumar (43) of Pullukkadu near Ukkadam, and his mother Susila (60) — sustained serious injuries and were rushed to the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH). Santhosh Kumar also suffered injuries and was admitted to a private hospital in the city.
Police said Santhosh Kumar had suffered a head injury in an accident 15 years ago. He had since been experiencing epileptic seizures intermittently and doctors had advised him against driving. However, he was holding a valid driving licence at the time of the accident, police added. Santhosh Kumar and Sethuraman have been booked under sections of the BNS and the Motor Vehicles Act.