Seven persons from Kerala, including two children, were killed when a car they were travelling in collided head-on with a cargo-laden truck at Anuppampatti Pirivu, near Chathrapatti in Tamil Nadu’s Dindigul district, on Wednesday.
The deceased were identified as Jijo, 32; his wife, J. Sheenu, 29; their son, Izakeil, 4; their relative, Johnson, 48; his son, J. Alex, 22, who drove the car, and E. Daniel, 4.
They were all from Thrissur district. Johnson’s wife J. Lissi, 43, who was grievously injured breathed her last at the Government Hospital, Palani. The driver of the truck, I. Selvaraj of Palamedu in Madurai, surrendered at the Chathrapatti police station.
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Local people waiting at the Anuppampatti Pirivu bus-stand reached the accident spot, rescued the injured, and removed the bodies trapped in the wreckage.
They also alerted the 108 ambulance service and the police.
The car driver was attempting to overtake a heavy vehicle, and hit the truck coming from the opposite direction, the police said.
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Three families were proceeding in two cars to Velankanni from Thrissur on a pilgrimage.