An ex-serviceman, S. Sankarappan (75), of Gobichettipalayam was killed on the spot and four others were injured when the car in which they were travelling hit a tractor that was watering plants on the median of Madurai-Thoothukudi four-lane highway near Kariapatti on Saturday forenoon.
Police identified the injured as Sankarappan’s wife Jaya (72) and their son Premkumar (50), Jaya’s sister Stella Mary (58) and her husband, Kandasamy (62) of Thoothukudi. The police said that the victims were proceeding to Thoothukudi and Premkumar was behind the wheel.
While approaching Sevalpatti junction near Kariapatti, Premkumar failed to notice the tractor parked along the median to water the plants. On seeing it all of a sudden, he tried to veer away the car but could not and the speeding car dashed against the tractor. In the impact, his father Sankarappan was killed on the spot. The injured have been admitted to a private hospital in Madurai. The Kariapatti police are investigating.