Tamil Nadu   

14 killed, 44 injured in head-on collision

Staff Reporter

MANGLED REMAINS: The TNSTC bus which was involved in a head-on collision near Nanguneri on Monday. — Photo: A.Shaikmohideen

TIRUNELVELI: Fourteen persons, including an 8-year old girl and eight women, were killed when a Tamil Nadu State Corporation bus and an omni bus collided head-on at Vaagaikulam near Nanguneri, about 30 km from here, on the Tirunelveli - Nagercoil National Highway on Monday.

The deceased have been identified as A. Subbulakshmi (29) of Panagudi; T. Thangasamy (57) of Ayinivilai near Marthandam in Kanyakumari district; S.P. Kani (60) of Puthumanai near Chettikulam; G. Malaivaembu (70) of Panagudi; A. Anita (18) of Yakkobupuram; Pitchandi (60), a retired TNEB engineer from Nagercoil; Jeevanandam (48), deputy manager, State Bank of Trivancore's Tirunelveli Branch and hailing from Shenbagaramanputhur; Jebaraj (35) of the Tamil Nadu Special Police, IX Battalion, Manimuthar; M. Latha (25) of Nesanainar Street, Palayamkottai, and her daughter M. Karthiga (8).

The identity of four others is being established.

The 44 injured have been admitted to Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital, Palayamkottai, Kanyakumari Medical College Hospital, Aasaripallam and a private hospital at Ozhuginaserry in Nagercoil. The condition of some of them is critical.

Eyewitnesses said the omni bus, proceeding from Chennai to Koodankulam, overtook a two-wheeler and collided against the TNSTC bus on its way from Nagercoil to Tirunelveli at 8.50 a.m. Nine persons were killed on the spot.

Nanguneri District Superintendent of Police Suresh Kumar and Fire and Rescue Services personnel, who carried out the rescue operation, rushed the injured to hospitals. Five of them succumbed to injuries later.

Narrow stretch

Since work on widening the busy stretch into a four-lane is underway, the existing two-lane road has narrowed down considerably. Collector G. Prakash, Deputy Inspector General of Police Kanhu Charan Mahali and Superintendent of Police N.K. Senthamaraikannan visited the accident spot. Minister for Environment and Pollution Control T.P.M. Maideen Khan and Nanguneri MLA H. Vasanthakumar visited the injured in Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital.

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