Four persons were killed in separate accidents in the district on Friday night. Police said M. Krishnan (70) of Vannikonenthal was travelling to Tirunelveli in a car on Friday night along with his wife K. Maadaththi (65) and relative M. Shanthi (45) of Puliyangudi.
When they reached Maanur near here, the car collided head-on with another car proceeding from Tirunelveli to Sankarankovil. While Krishnan and his car driver R. Velraj (45), also from Vannikonenthal, were killed on the spot, Ms. Maadaththi (65) and Ms. Shanthi sustained serious injuries and have been admitted to a private hospital here. Doctor S.V. Senthilkumar and his driver S. Balaji, both hailing from Sankarankovil, who were travelling in the other car, had a miraculous escape as the airbags inflated in the impact of the mishap. Maanur police have registered a case.
In another accident, A. Muthuraj (52) of Villaapuram in Madurai was killed when his relative D. Athisayam (47) of Mela Ilanthaikulam carelessly moved the car.
Police said Muthuraj and his relatives had come to offer prayers in a temple at Mela Ilanthaikulam under Thevarkulam police station limits. When he was sleeping near the temple along with his relatives, Athisayam moved the car parked nearby around 4.30 a.m. As he reportedly pressed the accelerator instead of brake, the vehicle crushed Muthuraj to death on the spot and injured B. Selvi (24) of Airavathanallur in Madurai, her son B. Balaji (7) and relative A. Venkatesh (25) of Salem. Thevarkulam police have arrested Athisayam. In the third accident, Kalipandi (21) of Yettaankulam near Maanur, who was returning home in a bike from Tirunelveli on Friday night, lost control over the vehicle when he was about to arrive at his native place. Since the bike hit a roadside electric pole violently, Kalipandi sustained serious head injury and was admitted to the hospital. He died on Saturday morning.
