Eight persons were killed in two accidents reported from two places in the State on Sunday.
Five persons were killed on the spot and two others were injured in a car-bus collision near Melakaranthai on the Madurai-Tuticorin bypass road. The incident occurred around 6.30 a.m. when the car collided with the rear end of the private bus that abruptly entered the bypass road, police sources said.
According to Inspector of police, Ettayapuram, S. Shankar Dev, the victims, who belonged to Poonamallee, were travelling in the car to Tiruchendur. A person travelling in the car and a bus passenger Mariammal (60), wife of Sandhiveeran of Vilathikulam, suffered injuries.
Superintendent of Police M. Durai, who visited the spot, said speed breakers were in place on the Nagalapuram road leading to the bypass road. The carelessness of the bus driver, M. Muniyasami of Tiruchuli, who was taken into custody, led to the accident.
The conductor was also detained, Mr. Durai said.
The bodies were shifted to the Government Headquarters Hospital in Kovilpatti.
Tahsildar of Ettayapuram, V. Jayarani said a post-mortem would be done once relatives of the deceased reached the hospital.
Those who died in the accident were identified as N. Sambanthan (55), S. Damodharan (63), D. Mahendran (50), Sankar (48), and Mathurai.
Based on a complaint lodged by N. Loganathan(55) of Poonamallee, who was injured in the accident, the Ettayapuram police registered a case, the sources added.
Tourist bus hits goods carrierPudukottai staff reporter reports:
In the accident on the Keeranur bypass road near Keeranur in the district three persons on board a mini-goods carrier, including two brothers, died after a tourist bus hit the vehicle from the rear.
Police gave the names of the deceased as A. Settu Mohamed (48), vehicle driver, A. Raja Mohamed (35) and his brother A. Jahubar Sadiq (39), both from Kottaipattinam. N. Muthukumar (34) was undergoing treatment in a private hospital in Tiruchi.
Police sources said the mini goods carrier was on its way to Manamelkudi from Tiruchi transporting betel leaves and the tourist bus was proceeding towards Pudukottai from Melmaruvathur.
In the impact, the goods carrier toppled causing severe injuries to the occupants.
Three of the injured died on the way to hospital. The bus driver J. Anbarasan (31) was arrested.
The Keeranur police have registered a case.
Cops injuredMoments after the accident, a highway patrol team reached the spot upon being alerted to regulate vehicular movement.
Even as Special Sub Inspector Shanmugam and Head Constable Ganesan were regulating traffic, a goods carrier carrying vegetables to Pudukottai from Tiruchi hit the two police personnel causing injuries to them.
Mr. Shanmugam was taken to Madurai for treatment, while Mr. Ganesan has been admitted as an in-patient at the Pudukottai Government Hospital.
The goods carrier driver S. Prabhu (22) was arrested, the sources added.
