VILLUPURAM: Three people died, and six others were injured in an accident while returning from their family deity temple near Mailam on Sunday.
Govindaraj (55), son of Ezhumalai and a resident of Chennai’s Karanodai area, had travelled with his family in a SUV to their family deity temple at Valavanur near Villupuram. After completing the puja, they were on way back to Chennai on Sunday evening.
When the car was nearing Thenpasi near Mailam, it reportedly hit a two-wheeler belonging to Selvam of Thengalavai village. The car then veered off after the impact, after the driver lost control, and it rammed a roadside tree.
In the accident, Kalpana Malli, Govindaraj and Thiruppavai — all travelling in the car — died on the spot. Others, Venkat Kumar, Mridhalashree, Saravanan, Brinda and Ananyashree were seriously injured.
Mailam police reached the spot, recovered the bodies and sent them to Mundiyambakkam Government Medical College Hospital for post-mortem. The injured were taken to Tindivanam Government Hospital.
A case has been registered, and an investigation is under way. The death of three members of the same family who were returning from their family deity temple has caused deep grief. Traffic on the Villupuram–Chennai National Highway was affected for about an hour.