Three persons, including an RTO employee, were killed in a multiple collision at Moontradaippu on Tirunelveli-Kanniyakumari National Highway on Friday.
Eesaak, 70, a farmer of Karuppukatti near Moontradaippu, was crossing the four-lane highway in his moped laden with a goat. He rode slowly and failed to notice a speeding car proceeding from Aralvaimozhi to Tirunelveli. The car hit the two-wheeler and jumped the median, police said.
Eesaak was killed under the impact of the collision.
On entering the opposite lane, the car collided with an oncoming banana-laden lorry proceeding to Nagercoil. The car driver, Popular, 40, and Petchiyammal, 55, personal assistant to the Regional Transport Officer, were killed on the spot. The lorry capsized and a crane had to be brought to remove the vehicles involved in the accident.
The accident affected vehicular traffic on the busy highway for nearly an hour.
Police said Petchiyammal, a resident of Aralvaimozhi, came to the office in her car everyday with Popular driving the vehicle.
In another accident, 20 passengers sustained injuries in a second multiple collision involving a van, two buses and a car near Gangaikondan.
Police said a van, after filling up fuel in a roadside petrol pump, suddenly entered the Madurai-Tirunelveli four-lane National Highway without noticing a Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation bus proceeding towards Tirunelveli. The bus hit the van from the rear and the TNSTC driver applied the brakes. Another TNSTC bus behind it hit the stationary vehicle.
Besides, a multi-utility vehicle following the second TNSTC bus also hit the bus and suffered minor damage.
Twenty passengers travelling in the two TNSTC buses suffered injuries and they were rushed to Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital.
Protest by villagers
Agitated over the frequent accidents happening near their hamlet due to poor condition of the road, a group of villagers from Gangaikondan squatted on the highway and blocked traffic.
The protestors said the road with polished surface was causing accidents frequently and the number of accidents increased sharply whenever it rained.
“Although we have forwarded several complaints to National Highways Authority of India, but no action was taken to rectify the surface to avert accidents,” they said.
After Inspector of Police, Gangaikondan, Sahaya Shanthi assured the protestors that she would recommend their representation, the agitation was withdrawn.
