TIRUPPUR: Four persons, including three women, were killed after the minivan in which they were travelling collided with a carriage van in Madathukulam in Tiruppur district on Monday evening.
The deceased were identified as N Muthu (55), the owner and driver of the minivan, Rasitha Begum (55), Asiya Banu (35) and Sasmitha (10). Muthu was hired by Syed Ibrahim (38), a resident of Madathukulam employed at a spinning mill, to take his mother Rasitha, wife Asiya and children Sasmitha and Ismail (15) to a wedding at Udumalaipet, police said.
On the way back, police said Muthu was overtaking a tractor at high speed when he saw a carriage van loaded with vegetables heading towards the minivan. He was unable to brake in time and minivan collided with the carriage van. In the impact, the passengers were injured. Passersby called for an ambulance, and all four were taken to Udumalaipet government hospital.
While Muthu, Rasitha, Asiya and Sasmitha were declared dead on arrival, Ismail survived with minor injuries. The driver of the carriage van also sustained minor injuries. Madathukulam police have registered a case and probe is on.