TIRUPPUR: Six people, including a police constable, died in a car–truck collision on the Coimbatore–Trichy National Highway near Vellakovil in Tiruppur district.
According to sources, a police check-post belonging to Tiruppur district is located on the National Highway near Kurukkathi, at the border between Tiruppur and Karur districts. Early on Wednesday, a truck carrying casuarina logs from Cuddalore to Vellakovil allegedly crashed into the central divider near the check-post.
Against this backdrop, police constable Ravichandran (36), attached to Vellakovil station and on duty at the check-post, stopped the vehicle. It is alleged that while the constable and the truck driver, Senthil (40), were attempting to repair the central divider, a car travelling towards Coimbatore from Mayiladuthurai crashed into both of them and then struck the rear of the truck, which was parked in front.
Preliminary reports indicate that six people, including the police constable, the truck driver, and four occupants of the car, died in the accident.
The Vellakovil police are conducting an inquiry into the incident. “Preliminary investigations have revealed that the occupants of the car were Ram (22), a taxi driver from Alangulam; Narasimman (65); his wife Santhalakshmi (60); and their son Balaji (36), of Mayiladuthurai. The bodies of the deceased have been sent to the Tiruppur Government Medical College Hospital for post-mortem examination. Further inquiries are under way,” the police said.
