3 killed in twin accidents in Salem

In a tragic mishap, a couple died after ramming their car into a lorry, which was stationed along the road after it ran over an unidentified man in Salem district on Monday night. The twin mishap left three persons dead and three others, including a five-year-old boy, injured.

Police said the container lorry from Salem was heading to Dharmapuri. While nearing Thoppur, an unidentified man suspected to be mentally disturbed had suddenly come on the way of the truck. He was run over and succumbed to injuries on the spot.

Following the incident, the lorry was stationed along the road and the body of the deceased was lay put on the middle of the road. Meanwhile, Ponmalai, 65 from Olaipatti near Vennandur in Namakkal district was bound to Krishnagiri along with his family members in a car.

To avoid hitting the corpse on the road, Ponmalai made a sudden turn, but lost control and crashed his car into the lorry stationed along road side. In the impact, both Ponmalai and his wife Saguntala, 56 suffered critical injuries.

Theevattipatti police and highway patrol rushed the severely injured couple to Salem Government Hospital. However, they both died on the way, while three others Nithya Kumari, 28, Shobana, 35 and Mithran, 5, who were in the car were admitted with injuries in a private hospital. The car also went up in fire after the family members were rescued. A search is on by Theevattipatti police for the lorry driver who is on the run.