8 killed as two buses collide in Oddanchatiram

The accident occurred in the evening when a government bus from Dindigul was on its way to Coimbatore. When it neared a curve in Palakanoothu, a private bus from Palani that was proceeding towards Dindigul hit the government bus.

In the incident, passengers who were seated behind the driver’s seat till the last row, suffered grievous injuries. Passersby and other local people who saw the accident, rushed to the spot to help the injured. They also informed the police and the ambulance service.

However, four persons, Podhumani (25), Joe Daniel (12), Vasikaran (2), all three of Dindigul, and Viswanathan (63), from Manapparai, died on the spot. The remaining injured were immediately rushed to the Oddanchatiram GH for treatment.

Despite treatment, four more died. The deceased were identified as Sathiyamoorthy, from Chennimalai in Erode district, Sabari Arvik (6) of Natham in Dindigul district, and two other women whose identity could not be established immediately.

Still, 12 more injured persons are undergoing treatment in the Oddanchatiram General Hospital and the condition of some of them is said to be critical. The death count is likely to increase said police sources. Dindigul SP Mahendran, visited the accident spot and carried out investigations. After inquiries, police are of the view that the accident took place because the driver of the private bus Pandiarajan was in an inebriated state. He had driven the vehicle in a reckless manner and rammed into the other bus. Also, immediately after the accident, Pandiarajan fled the spot and the police are in search of him.

“Luckily, there were no passengers in the private bus or else the death count would have been higher. The bus is said to have dropped all its passengers at Dindigul and was only returning empty,” informed the police.

Because of the accident, traffic on the Dindigul-Palani Road was affected for more than an hour.