CHENNAI: Two college students were charred to death after two motorcycles collided head-on and burst into flames near Nagampatti toll plaza on the Bengaluru–Tiruvannamalai National Highway around 6 am on Monday.
According to a Maalaimalar report, the deceased were identified as Tirupathi (17), son of Ramesh, and Tiruchselvan (21), son of Karthikeyan, natives of S Patti village in Harur taluk of Dharmapuri district. Both were students of Government Polytechnic College in Krishnagiri.
According to police, the duo was returning home after visiting Bengaluru on a motorcycle when their vehicle collided with another two-wheeler near the toll plaza.
The second motorcycle was ridden by Sarathi (24) and his brother Velu (18), natives of Mothakkal village in Tiruvannamalai district. The brothers were involved in buying and selling used mobile phones, old silk sarees and other items. They had left for Bengaluru around 4 am on Monday to sell the goods they had purchased.
The impact of the collision caused both motorcycles to catch fire. Tirupathi and Tiruchselvan suffered severe burns and died on the spot.
Sarathi and Velu sustained serious injuries. Bystanders rescued them and rushed them to the Mathur Government Hospital in a 108 ambulance. They were later referred to Krishnagiri Government Medical College Hospital for further treatment, where they are undergoing intensive care.
More than 100 new and used mobile phones were found scattered across the road at the accident spot.
Police have registered a case and are investigating the circumstances surrounding the accident. They are examining whether the collision caused a petrol tank to explode and trigger the fire, or whether an unidentified heavy vehicle hit the motorcycles and fled the scene.