Viralimalai tahsildar returning after sand raid dies in car crash

According to police, the vehicle he was travelling in reportedly hit a tree on the road side after the front tyre detached itself from the vehicle suddenly. Three others, including the Revenue Inspector, were injured.

Viralimalai tasildar Parthiban (48) received information about sand being smuggled from Karoiyaru at Avoor in Pudukkottai. Soon, Parthiban along with Revenue Inspector Muthukalai (46), revenue assistants Mathiyalagan (33), Palraj (37) and driver Saravanan (42) started off to the site.

After the team reached the spot, they did not encounter any smuggling activity. While on their way back, at Rajagiri Kulavaipatti near Viralimalai, the front tyre of their jeep detached from the vehicle and Saravanan lost control. The vehicle rammed against a tree on the roadside and Partiban reportedly died on the spot.

The public passed on the information to Viralimalai police, who rushed to the spot and retrieved the body. The injured were rescued. A case was registered.

Sources alleged that the accident might have been planned by the sand smugglers. Parthiban was promoted as the tahsildar four months ago. He has been reportedly preventing illegal sand mining since then.