As many as 11 people were killed in separate accidents on Sunday.
In Sattur, six persons were killed on the spot when the van in which they were travelling toppled. Seventeen others, who were injured in the accident, were admitted to the government hospital here.
The police said the victims were pilgrims hailing from Madhankovilpatti in Virudhunagar district and Sankarankovil in Tirunelveli district. They were on their way home after offering worship at the Sri Mariamman temple in Irukkangudi when tragedy struck. The axle of the front wheel of the vehicle broke, causing it to veer off the road and overturn while passing through the Ramachandrapuram junction on the Sattur-Thayilpatti Road around 2.15 p.m.
The police picked up the driver, K. Kannan, 33, of Paraipatti.
The victims were identified as M. Guruvammal, 18, M. Petichiammal, 50, M. Amudha, 45, P. Veeramanikandan, 34, K. Pothaiah, 65, and B. Guruvammal, 65.
In Thanjavur, five persons were killed when the vehicle in which they were travelling rammed a stationary lorry.
P. Vijayakumar, 30, of Keezhavasthachavadi, was returning home from a pilgrimage to Tiruchendur along with his family, when the SUV in which they were travelling rammed a lorry, just a couple of kilometres away from his house on the outskirts of Thanjavur, in the early hours of Sunday.
In the impact of the collision, Vijayakumar, wife Saranya, 28, daughter Dhanashree, 3, father-in-law Dakshinamurthy, 55, and car driver I. Aravindh, 27, were killed on the spot. Three others, who were critically injured, were pulled out of the mangled remains of the vehicle and rushed to the Thanjavur Medical College Hospital, where they are undergoing treatment.
Superintendent of Police T. Senthil Kumar inspected the accident spot. District Collector A. Annadurai visited the injured in the hospital.
