Three of a family among five killed in spate of accidents across state

In the first accident, near Cuddalore, three of a family, including two women, were killed, while two others were injured when the car in which they were travelling rammed a tree at Elamangalam village near here early on Monday, police said. 

The accident occurred when the family members were returning to Pennadam, after visiting temples in Tiruchendur and Rameswaram. 

An NRI engineer Sundara Pandian came here on holiday and took his wife Revathi, sister Shanta, son Sakthivel and daughter Keerthiswari on a spiritual pilgrimage in a car. While returning home, the car lost control near Thittakudi and rammed a tree. Revathi and Shantha died on the spot. 

Three others, who were injured, were rushed to the Thittakudi GH, where Shaktivel succumbed to injuries. Sundra Pandian and Keerthiswari, who were in a critical condition has been referred to a private hospital in Tiruchi.

In the second mishap a 26-year-old driver was killed and the cleaner sustained serious injuries after their van was rammed by another at Manapparai on Monday. 

Sources said, Prabakaran (26) of Annanagar in Manapparai, was ferrying some goods in his van with cleaner Sankar on board. When they reached Maravanur they halted for a break. Suddenly, a van that was bound for Dindugul from Tiruchy rammed the load van. In the impact Prabakaran was killed on the spot, while Sankar sustained serious injuries. 

On information, Manapparai police rushed to the spot, retrieved the body and sent it to Manapprai GH for post-mortem. Later, the van driver Aslam Basha (30) of Tiruvannamalai was arrested. 

Meanwhile, one person was killed and four others were injured when their car rammed a tree on the Madurai-Rameswaram Highway. A group of pilgrims from Haryana were on their way to Chennai after a visit to Rameswaram temple. When the car neared Uchipuli, the driver lost control and the vehicle rammed a tree. While Mohit (27) died on the spot, others sustained injuries. 

The toll in the October 20 fireworks mishap here rose to nine, with a doctor succumbing to his injuries on Monday, police said. Janakiraman, a doctor at the scan centre, situated close to the cracker shop, died at a private hospital in Madurai on Monday.