MADURAI: Five persons from Chennai, including a three-year-old girl, were killed and two others were injured after a car crossed the median and collided head-on with another car near the Thumbaipatti four-lane road overbridge close to Melur in Madurai district on Monday (August 3).
According to the police, five members, including three men, two women and a child, were travelling in a car from Chennai to Tirunelveli on the National Highway. When the vehicle was passing over the flyover on the four-lane road near Thumbaipatti, the driver rammed into a two-wheeler travelling ahead of it.
The driver lost control of the vehicle, causing it to cross over to the opposite side of the road and collide head-on with an incoming car travelling from Madurai towards Tiruchy.
In the impact, five occupants of the car died on the spot. The police identified four of the deceased as Sriman of Madipakkam, Chennai, Rajakumari, Ranja and three-year-old Pranika, all reported to belong to the same family. The identity of the fifth deceased, who was travelling with the family, is yet to be established, the police said.
Personnel from the Fire and Rescue Services Department, the police and the 108 ambulance service rescued two persons who sustained grievous injuries and rushed them to the Melur Government Hospital for treatment. Of the two injured survivors, one was a passenger in the Chennai car, while the other was travelling in the second car heading toward Tiruchy.
The accident caused severe traffic disruption in the area. The Melur police cleared the traffic, registered a case and are investigating the incident.