Five killed in two mishaps on Deepavali day

In the first incident, three persons died and another person is battling for life in hospital after a carriage auto rammed into their two-wheelers in Namakkal district, on Wednesday.

According to police, Manikandan (31) from Oruvandur near Mohanur and his relatives Kanagaraj (55) and Selvaraj (36), both hailing from the same neighbourhood and Kannan (55) from Agaram, in Trichy, were heading to Oruvandur from Mohanur, when the accident happened.

They were working as labourers in a stone quarry and were returning from visiting a relative. While nearing Sellandiamman temple, the speeding load auto from the opposite direction crashed into their bikes.

In the impact of the mishap, Manikandan and Kanagaraj died on the spot, while Selvaraj lost his life on the way to the hospital. Police said Kannan has been undergoing treatment, at Namakkal Government Hospital. The Mohanur police registered a case and arrested the driver Oviaraj (23) and further inquiries are on.

In Erode district, M Dinesh Kumar (18) and Sidiq (18), both studying first year in a college, in Coimbatore and hailing from Sathyamangalam were returning home after watching the first show of actor Vijay’s new release film, Sarkar, when a lorry from the opposite direction knocked them down near Punjaipuliampatty.

The two youths succumbed to injuries on the spot. On information, the local police rushed to the spot and sent the bodies of the deceased persons to Sathyamangalam Government Hospital for post-mortem. A search is on to nab lorry driver, who is on the run.