CHENNAI: Police have arrested a 23-year-old private college bus driver in connection with the collision with a two-wheeler in Namakkal district on Thursday (September 3), in which four female students, including three sisters, died.

The driver was identified as Praveen who had fled after the accident. Police registered a case under various sections, including those relating to rash driving and causing death, and remanded him in custody, according to Daily Thanthi.

The deceased were identified as Subitha Kalaiselvi (19), a second-year BSc student at Thiruvalluvar Government Arts College in Rasipuram; her sisters Nivetha (17), a Class 11 student, and Thanusree (12), a Class 7 student; and their relative Abinaya (11), a Class 6 student.

Nivetha, Thanusree and Abinaya were students of the Government Higher Secondary School in Elachipalayam. The three sisters were the daughters of daily wage labourers Shekar and Amudha of Sankarampalayam. According to the police, former district collector S Uma Shekar had sponsored Subitha’s education, considering the family’s financial status, as the father had been suffering from an ailment.

According to the police, Subitha, who had returned home from college on Thursday (September 3) evening, was returning after picking up the sisters from school on a two-wheeler.

While they were travelling on the Rasipuram-Tiruchengode road, they attempted to cross the road near a private petrol pump at Chakkarampalayam. At the time, a private college bus travelling from Rasipuram towards Sankagiri collided with the two-wheeler.

In the accident, Subitha and Abhinaya died on the spot, while Nivetha and Thanushree suffered critical injuries. They were taken to Tiruchengode Government Hospital, but both died on the way in the ambulance.

Police rushed to the scene and launched a search for the bus driver, who had allegedly fled after the accident. On Friday, he was arrestedunder various sections, including those relating to rash driving and causing death, and remanded in custody.