Ramanathapuram
A 68-year-old pilgrim from Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh died and four others suffered injuries, when the van in which they were travelling skidded off the road and fell into the roadside ditch near Pamban Road Bridge on Monday night.
Police said 11 pilgrims, including women, were on their way to Rameswaram after visiting Kanniyakumari when the mishap occurred around 10 p.m. It was raining heavily when the driver lost control, police said.
While Kidham, 68, died on the spot, four others – two in their late sixties and two in late fifties suffered injuries. They were admitted to the Government District Headquarters hospital here, police said. The Mandapam police arrested the driver, identified as Muniaraj, 30, from Kunjanvalasai on charges of rash driving.
The victims, who were part of 200-odd pilgrims from Jabalpur, came to Rameswaram on October 15. While others stayed back in the island, 11 of them visited Kanniyakumari after engaging a tourist van. They were returning to Rameswaram after visiting Kanniyakumari and Madurai, police said.
