One person died and 27 others were injured when a mini van they were travelling in overturned near Maduravoyal on Sunday morning
According to police, a total of 28 persons, all family members and friends, from J.J. Nagar in Korukkupet, had been planning a trip to a temple in Parvathamalai near Tiruvannamalai.
On Sunday, they booked a van and started their journey at around 10 a.m.
About an hour later, the vehicle was on Tambaram–Puzhal Bypass near M.G.R. University, when its right rear tyre burst. “The van spun and then toppled,” said a police officer.
Gopi (28), a carpenter, was sitting in the back row near a window. “We believe his head was resting on the window. When the vehicle toppled, his head was crushed and he died on the spot,” added the officer.
The other 27 were rushed to a private hospital in Aynavaram and to Government Kilpauk Hospital for treatment. “They only sustained minor injuries,” said the officer. The traffic investigation wing of the police (Poonamallee), has registered a case and is investigating.
R. Kamalakannan, president of Tamil Nadu Van Operators Association, said the accident could have occurred because of bad tyres and overloading. “The permitted seating capacity in a mini van is 13. A higher seating capacity is permitted only in regular buses,” he said.
He added that it was the responsibility of the van owner to check the condition of the vehicle before sending it on a trip. “If the van’s tyres were new, it probably would have been able to handle the load,” he said.
