The Hindu : Front Page : 17 killed in accident at unmanned level crossing

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Wednesday, Nov 01, 2006
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17 killed in accident at unmanned level crossing

V. Venkatasubramanian

Occupants in autorickshaw were going to attend a funeral

— Photo: A. Muralitharan

MANGLED REMAINS: The autorickshaw, which was hit by the train in the Kancheepuram-Arakonam section on Tuesday.

KANCHEEPURAM: Seventeen persons, who were proceeding in an autorickshaw to mourn a death at Pudupakkam village near here, were killed after their vehicle collided with a Chennai-bound EMU in the Kancheepuram-Arakonam section on Tuesday morning.

The accident took place around 10-25 a.m. when the autorickshaw driver, Masthan attempted to cross the unmanned level crossing as the Tirumalpur-Chennai Beach train was about to pass. The autorickshaw broke down in the middle of the track and the train rammed into it. All the 17 persons, including the driver, were killed on the spot.

Enquiries reveal that the mourners were on their way to call on Kalimuthu, whose mother, Elizebeth died on Monday. Mr. Kalimuthu's sister, Vasanthi, her son Arun, daughter, Anu, and daughter-in-law, Bhavani, were among those who were killed. Vasanthi's relatives and family friends — Vanamayil, Mangayarkarasi, Pavunu, Dhanbakkiyam, Gunasundarai, Govindammal, Muniyammal, Valliammal, Kullammal, Aruna, Rajesh and Raman, who accompanied her in the autorickshaw — were also killed.

Relatives of the deceased broke down seeing the mutilated bodies along the track and in the mangled autorickshaw. One villager said that only last week Bhavani, one of the deceased, entered into wedlock with Albert, son of Vasanthi. Bhavani was Kalimuthu's daughter.

The track was cleared for traffic at around 1-30 p.m.

Labour Welfare Minister T.M. Anbarasan called on the relatives of the deceased at the hospital and handed over cheques for Rs. 50,000 each to the kin of the deceased.

Minister of State for Railways, R.Velu, announced a relief of Rs.10,000 to each of the families of victims.

Conveying his condolences to the bereaved families, Chief Minister M.Karunanidhi said Rs.50,000 would be paid from the Chief Minister's Public Relief Fund to each of the families. The Railways has ordered a departmental enquiry into the accident.

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