In an accident involving a car and a truck at Rowuthankuppam on the Tindivanam–Puducherry Road near here on Saturday, four software professionals and the truck cleaner were killed.
Police sources said Ramkishore Vittal (30), Praveenkumar Reddy (28), Francis Antony (31) and Alexander (25), hailing from Banjara Hills area in Hyderabad and working in a software company there, were on their way to Velankanni in an Innova car driven by Akash Kumar.
The car was supposed to take the Puducherry-Cuddalore-Chidambaram-Karaikkal route to reach Velankanni. At Rowuthankuppam the truck was parked on the roadside to pick up a watermelon consignment.
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The cleaner, Prince (21), a native of Ambalavyil in Wayanad, Kerala, was busy applying grease to the wheels of the stationary truck. It is suspected that the speeding car lost control and rammed the truck. Praveenkumar Reddy, Francis Antony and Alexander and Prince, who was caught between the two vehicles, were killed instantaneously.
The car's sides, rear and the roof were ripped apart.
Ramkishore Vittal succumbed to injuries soon after admission to JIPMER Hospital at Puducherry. Car driver Akash Kumar is battling for life in a private hospital at Puducherry.
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The truck driver Mahesh could not be traced. The police are conducting an enquiry.