THANJAVUR: Five persons from Bengaluru who were travelling in a van towards Velankanni died when the vehicle collided head-on with a Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) bus near Sengipatti in Thanjavur district around 8 pm on Tuesday. Eight others, including two persons who were travelling in the bus, suffered injuries and are undergoing treatment.
Sources said traffic has been allowed only on one side of the four-lane Thanjavur-Tiruchy road for the last few days as repair work is under way and this may have caused the accident.
Police identified one of the victims, who died at Thanjavur Medical College Hospital (TMCH) as P Arockiyadoss (45) of Bengaluru. K Jagadeesan (45), driver of the van, passengers P John Bosco (58), Nalini (45) and Selsia, all natives of Bengaluru, died on the spot.
The injured have been identified as Johnson (49), Joyce (20), Daashi (7), Riya (13), Felcia Caroline (13), William (50) of Bengaluru, all passengers of the van, and Parameshwari (52) and Pavithra (23), who were in the bus. They have been admitted to TMCH.
The Sengipatti police have registered a case and are holding inquiries with the injured. The bodies of the victims have been taken to the TMCH.
Speaking to reporters at TMCH, Thanjavur collector B Priyanka Pankajam said traffic was diverted in one lane due to road relaying work by NHAI. According to preliminary information, the bus had stopped for the passengers to alight, when the van collided head-on with it. Further probe is under way, the collector said.