TIRUCHY: At least 10 passengers, including three women, were killed and 48 others injured when a private omni bus collided with a mini-lorry in Valanadu Kaikaati village near Manapparai in Tiruchy district on Thursday morning. The accident throws light on how cargo carriers were used to carry passengers in some of the rural pockets in the district.
The 48 people were going to a temple near Manapparai. They all were admitted to various hospitals in Tiruchy and Manapparai town.
Eyewitness said the van was carrying 60 people from Ammapatti village in Natham taluk of Dindigul district to the Mahaliamman temple in Kovilpatti village in Manapparai taluk of Tiruchy district to perform rituals. After picking up a few villagers from Valanadu Kaikaati, the van was going down the Madurai-Tiruchy highway when the omni bus rammed into the mini-lorry from behind.
On impact, those on the van were thrown off the vehicle. Three women-Murugaye (45), Subbammal (37), and Ponnammal (45)-and male passengers Ponnar (10), Ramkumar (26), Raju (28), Rathinam (45) and Nallaiya (49) died on the spot. While two other victims Karuppusamy (60) and Azhagarnathan (60) of Ammapatti succumbed to injuries in Tiruchy General Hospital.
Forty-eight people, including 19 women were injured. Seven ambulances from Manapparai, Viralimalai and Thuvarankurichi shifted them all to Tiruchy GH and Manapparai GH for further treatment.
Twenty of the injured were admitted to two private hospitals in Manapparai town. On hearing about the mishap, State Health Minister C Vijaya Baskar and district Collector K S Palanisamy carried out enquiries at the accident site, and also met the injured at Tiruchy General Hospital. The Valanadu Kaikaati police have registered a case and are investigating. Meanwhile, the driver of the omni bus, V Mariyappan (26) of Chennai surrendered at the Viralimalai police station.