CUDDALORE: Four of a family, including a two-year-old girl, died and one sustained grievous injuries after a TNSTC bus rammed into a car that was parked on the roadside near Veppur on Monday morning.
The deceased have been identified as R Mathivanan(35), a poultry farm owner from Cherankulam near Manargudi, his wife M Kowsalya(32), daughter M Sara (2) and mother-in-law D Thavamani(55). Mathivanan’s father-in-law J Duraisamy(52), who sustained injuries in the accident, is undergoing treatment at a hospital.
Sources at Ramanatham police station said the family members were on the way back to Cherankulam after attending a marriage function at Vadapalani in Chennai. “After attending the function on Sunday, they stayed at a relative’s place and started to their home on Monday early morning,” they said.
When Mathivanan, who was behind the wheels, felt sleepy, he parked the car on the side of the Chennai-Tiruchy national highway at Avatti near Veppur in the Cuddalore district to take a rest.
“At that time, a TNSTC bus heading to Tiruchy from Chennai rammed into the parked car, dragging it for nearly fifty metres before coming to a halt. All the passengers got stuck inside the car that was sandwiched between the bus and a tree,” the police said.
Ramanatham police pulled out Duraisamy with the help of fire and rescue service personnel from Veppur fire station. He was immediately sent to Government General Hospital in Perambalur and was later shifted to Government General Hospital in Trichy. His condition is said to be critical.
The bodies of all four were sent to Government Villupuram Medical College hospital in Mundiampakkam for autopsy. “We suspect the bus driver could have fallen asleep while driving and missed to notice the car that was parked on the roadside with proper signal lights switched on.” said a senior police official from Thittakudi.
Police later arrested the bus driver, P Ramesh(45) of Kalligudi near Lalgudi in Trichy.