Six persons sustained minor injuries when a milk truck rammed into a passenger train at an unmanned level crossing in Dharmapuri district on Monday morning.
According to sources, the loaded milk truck rammed into the Passenger Train No. 573 DN Salem-Yeshwanthpur in an unmanned level crossing near Vattaganapatti village between Palacode and Marandaalli at around 7.45 p.m.
Milk trucks rammed into the second and third bogies of the train and rolled over near the track. Six persons sustained minor injuries. Three of them were treated at the Primary Health Centre in Royakottai, Dr. P. Arunagiriraj, the Chief Medical Officer told The Hindu .
The CMO said that Annamalai, Karthick and Bharathi were given first aid and sent home. Details about the other three were not available.
Those who sat on the steps of the bogies had injuries on their knees and legs. Eyewitnesses said the truck driver started the engine just as the rail engine passed the level crossing. Suddenly the truck moved forward and rammed into the train.
The accident occurred when the milk truck was on its way to Ammanimallapuram with the milk collection.
Top railway authorities rushed to the spot and sped up the erection of railway gate works, the sources added. The driver and owner of the milk truck were absconding from the spot.
Railway Protection Force, Dharmapuri, has registered a case and investigations are on.