CHENNAI: Three college students were killed and four others suffered serious injuries after the car in which they were travelling overturned following a tyre burst on the Chennai-Trichy National Highway near Maduranthagam on Friday (August 29) night.
The seven students of a private college in Pallavaram had travelled to Puducherry on a trip and were returning to Chennai.
Around 9 pm, when the car was travelling at high speed near Maduranthagam, its rear tyre suddenly burst. The driver lost control, causing the car to overturn on the road.
The car was severely mangled in the crash, leaving all seven students seriously injured. Passersby who rushed to the spot began rescue efforts.
Police reached the scene after being alerted, and the injured students were taken to government hospitals in Chengalpattu and Maduranthagam.
Despite intensive treatment, three students, Deepak Raj, 19, of Cuddalore, Piyuterin Stanigo, 21, of Kanyakumari, and Raj Prasad, 20, of Karur, died of their injuries.
The other four students, Raghu Prasad, 19, of Karur, Hari Krishnan, 19, of Alandur, and Aneeswaran, 19, and Lokeshwaran, 19, both from Cuddalore, suffered serious injuries and are undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit.
According to police, the car belonged to one of the students' friends and Hari Krishnan was driving at the time of the accident.
The Maduranthagam police have registered a case and are investigating the accident. Traffic on the Chennai-Trichy National Highway was affected for more than two hours following the crash.