SALEM: Six of a family, including a year-old girl, were crushed to death when a van rammed a truck parked on the roadside of the Salem-Kochi National Highway from behind near Sankagiri in Salem district early on Wednesday.
Police identified the deceased as Palaniswami, 50, his wife Pappathi, 45, one-year-old Sanjana, the couple's granddaughter, and Palaniswami’s relatives Arumugam, 45, Manjula, 40, and Selvaraj, 54. Palaniswami's daughter Priya, 24, and van driver Vignesh, 21, who were injured in the accident, were admitted to Salem GH for treatment. The family belongs to Ingur village in Perundurai in Erode district.
According to police, K Rajadurai, 28, a resident of Kondalampatty in Salem, and Priya got married two years ago. Sanjana is their daughter. Palaniswami, his wife, and their relatives went to Salem on Tuesday to resolve a domestic dispute between Rajadurai and Priya.
After meeting the couple, Palaniswami’s family left Salem for Perundurai on Tuesday night along with Priya and Sanjana in the van. Around 2.30 a.m. on Wednesday, when the van reached Chinna Goundanur near Sankagiri, it hit the truck parked on the roadside.
"Sankagiri police team rushed to the spot and rescued the injured Priya and Vignesh and sent them to Salem GH for treatment. Bodies of the deceased were extricated from the mangled van and sent to Sankagiri GH," a police officer said.
Jagan Babu of West Godavari in Andhra Pradesh was the truck driver. He parked the lorry on the side of the NH in violation of the rules as he was feeling sleepy. After the accident, he fled the spot with the truck, said the officer.
Further probe is on
Superintendent of Police AK Arun Kapilan said, “Jagan Babu was arrested in Coimbatore. A case has been registered against him. Further investigation is on.” Collector S Karmegam met the relatives of the victims and offered his condolences.