THOOTHUKUDI: A four-and-a-half-year-old boy studying LKG was killed after an auto rickshaw in which he was travelling to school capsized on Anavaradhanallur near Seithunganallur on Monday. Seven others were injured. It is said that the negligence of the driver caused the road accident. The deceased was identified as Selva Naveen, son of Raja from Oothuparai village.
Sources said that A Raj of Melnattarkulam was ferrying eight students from Muthalankurichi, Oothuparai and Vasavappapuram areas to a private school at KTC Nagar in Tirunelveli. When the vehicle reached Anavaradhanallur on Seithunganallur-Vasavapuram Road, it turned turtle, sources added.
In the accident, Selva Naveen died on the spot, while others sustained injuries. The injured included B Naveen Kumar, B Selvaragavi, B Mugila, P Gunavathi, N Esakkiraja of Muthalankurichi, A Abirami, A Abivarathan of Vasavappapuram. Out of this, two students had blood injuries and were admitted to Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital, police said. However, auto driver A Raj fled the spot.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the auto driver was speaking over the phone while driving fast. His phone had fallen inside his cabin and in an attempt to pick it up, he drove the auto in single hand, which led to loss of control. Further investigations are on.
The Murapanadu police have registered a case against Raj under Sections 279, 338, 304 (A) of IPC and launched a search to nab him.