Three persons, including two women, were killed in a road accident and five others injured when a Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) bus, reportedly driving on the wrong side of the highway at Ariyanendal village near Paramakudi in Ramanathapuram district, collided with an SUV, late on Sunday night.
Police investigations said that the mofusil bus, heading to Madurai from Ramanathapuram, instead of taking the left lane under the bridge, came on the right-hand side of the bridge on the four-lane national highway. As a result, the SUV, which was heading towards Ramanathapuram town from Krishnagiri district, collided with it, head-on.
The bus driver Kesavan, was detained and police said that three occupants in the car identified as N. Selvakumar (driver), Nirmala alias Kritika (55) and Manimegalai (60) of Kottaimedu in Ramanathapuram town died on the spot.
The injured, N Somasundaram (65) was admitted at Paramakudi Government Hospital, while A. Ranjani (34), S. Arjunan and two children aged 7 and 9 years old were referred to the Government Rajaji Hospital, Madurai.
Police said that the passengers in the car had been to Krishnagiri to attend a baby shower function and were heading home. The accident occurred at around 11.15 p.m. on Sunday night.
Ambulances from near by hospitals were pressed into service to take the injured to the hospitals.
The bus driver is said to have taken the short-cut route, which resulted in the fatal accident. Paramakudi Taluk police are investigating.
