Ambulance driver killed; police personnel injured in different accidents

An 108 ambulance driver, C. Patturaja of Thoothukudi district, was killed and another 13 ambulance drivers were injured when a van, in which they were travelling, met with an accident near here on Friday.

The police said that a group of members of 108 Ambulance Workers Association from Tenkasi and Thoothukudi districts were going for a protest in Tiruchi.

When the van was proceeding on Kovilpulikuththi Junction, the driver Aasaithambi, also an 108 worker, lost control of the speeding vehicle.

The van went off the highway and fell on to its side.

Patturaja from Konarkulam in Thoothukudi district, who is the Thoothukudi district secretary of the association, was killed on the spot.

Others suffered minor injuries. Vachchakarapatti police are investigating.

Chennai police injured

In another accident, Inspector of Police of Pallikaranai police station in Chennai, Pushpam and Sub-Inspector of Police Raghupathi were injured when the sports utility vehicle, in which they were travelling, collided with a tractor near MGR statue junction here late on Thursday night.

The police said that the police team from Pallikaranai were returning to Chennai after an enquiry into a cheating case.

They had taken an accused identified as Pushparajan (30) to Thisayanvilai for enquiry.

When the hired vehicle, driven by driver, S. Praveen Kumar (28), was negotiating the junction, it hit a tractor, driven by P. Nagaraj, a constable attached to Armed Reserve police in Virudhunagar.

After getting first-aid at a private hospital, the team resumed their journey towards Chennai.

Tractor driver Nagarajan has been admitted to the Government hospital for head injuries.