2 months ago
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A large pistillate and an 11-month aged babe were among 8 radical killed successful a multiple-vehicle collision connected the Salem-Coimbatore National Highway connected Friday (March 20, 2026). Four others were injured.
The mishap occurred astir 11 a.m. erstwhile a authorities autobus travelling to Salem from Erode with much than 30 passengers mislaid power adjacent Utamasolapuram. The bus, driven by Ayyandurai, 49, of Periya Vanavasi successful Salem district, allegedly suffered a brake failure, causing the operator to suffer control.
The autobus veered onto the other broadside of the road and collided with a two-wheeler and a pickup van. The van was carrying 11 radical from Neikarapatti who were connected their mode to Kalparapatti to be a temple festival.
Four radical died connected the spot, portion 8 others sustained grievous injuries. Local residents and passersby rescued the injured and sent them to backstage and authorities hospitals successful ambulances.
Among those killed successful the pickup van were Selvaraj, 60, of Neikarapatti; his granddaughters Jeevika, aged 11 months, and Nithishka, 5; his daughter-in-law Sathya, 25, who was 3 months pregnant; and relatives Amutha and Murugan. Selvaraj’s lad Meganathan, 23, who was driving the van, was among the injured and is undergoing attraction astatine a backstage infirmary on with 3 others.
Police identified the different deceased arsenic S. Manikandan, 21, a second-year assemblage student, and his parent S. Irusayee, 50, residents of Santhanakarankadu adjacent Puthur, who were travelling connected a two-wheeler to a adjacent infirmary astatine the clip of the accident.
The Kondalampatti constabulary arrived astatine the spot, conducted inquiries, and sent the bodies to Salem Government Hospital for postmortem.
After the accident, the autobus operator fled the country but was apprehended wrong an hr and arrested. The constabulary are besides questioning the autobus conductor Balakrishnan, 46, a nonmigratory of Namakkal district.
Salem District Collector R. Brindha Devi and Salem South Regional Transport Officer Raja Pandian visited the spot and conducted inquiries.
Traffic connected the Salem-Coimbatore National Highway was disrupted for much than an hr pursuing the accident. CCTV footage from a petrol bunk adjacent the spot captured the incident.
