TIRUCHY: Three persons died on the spot while seven sustained severe injuries after an omni bus rammed into their car at Samayapuram on Tiruchy-Chennai bypass in Tuesday wee hours.
On Monday, a group of 10 persons, including Pandian (49), from Karambakudi in Pudukkottai, his wife Valarmathi (45), son Pavin and relatives, R Dhanalakshmi (47), Thirunavukkarasu (52) and his wife Thillayammal (48), were on a pilgrimage to various temples during the Aadi Perukku by car. Meheswaran from Karambakudi was driving the car.
After visiting various temples in Thanjavur, they headed towards Tiruchy late at night. When they were nearing Pallividai on the Tiruchy-Chennai bypass, the driver missed the service road to Samayapuram, and they were proceeding towards Chennai for around 50 metres.
Upon realising this, the driver, Maheswaran, stopped the car and moved it back, when an omni bus heading to Chennai from Tiruchy rammed into the car in which Pandian, Dhanalakshmi and Pavin, who were seated in the back seat, were crushed to death while Gowsalya, Valarmathi, Thirunavukkarasu, Thillayammal, Gokulavani (13), Mani Sharma (16) and the driver Maheswaran sustained severe injuries.
The onlookers rushed to the spot, rescued the injured and rushed them to a private hospital in Samayapuram. Based on information, Samayapuram police rushed to the spot, commenced the rescue operation, retrieved the bodies and sent them to Samayapuram Government Hospital.
The police also registered a case and arrested the omni bus driver, Ajith Kumar, from Ramanathapuram. Further investigations are under way.