Four youths were killed in a road accident near Valliyoor when the Sports Utility Vehicle in which they were travelling hit a bridge on Friday evening.
Police said a group of youths from Marthandam in Kanniyakumari district were going to Kodaikanal in a SUV. As they were crossing Tamil Nadu Housing Board intersection near Valliyoor on the four-lane national highway, the speeding vehicle entered a pool of rainwater stagnating on the busy thoroughfare and swerved to the left to hit a bridge.
Since the vehicle dashed against the concrete structure at high speed, all occupants of the car sustained grievous injuries. While P. Sam Felix (31), Revit (32), D. Sunil (28) and Justin Paulraj were killed on the spot, Joseph Dhaya, Congress party’s Kanniyakumari West District functionary and Arun have been admitted to the hospital with fractures. The condition of Arun was said to be critical.
During investigation, police found that the rainwater stagnating on the national highway triggered the mishap. “Though similar mishaps have occurred at this danger zone and nearby Kovaneri on five occasions and we’ve appealed to the National Highways Authority of India officials to rectify this impending danger, no step has been taken so far. Consequently, loss of life during rains at this spot has become a routine affair,” said a policeman who arrived at the spot immediately after the accident.
Superintendent of Police V. Vikraman visited the spot.
