11 dead, four injured in two separate accidents in TN

Chennai, May 1 (UNI) Eleven people, including four women, were killed on the spot and three others seriously injured in two separate accidents in Tamil Nadu early this morning.

Six construction workers, including four women, were killed on the spot and two others injured, when a lorry transporting plantains in which they were travelling, plunged into an irrigation canal and overturned at Pallividai near Samayapuram on the Tiruchirapalli- Chennai National Highway here early today.

The injured were rescued by the police and Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services personnel. persons were admitted to the government headquarters hospital.

Superintendent of Police R Rajasekharan told UNI that the vehicle was proceeding to Chennai from Tuticorin. The lorry driver had picked up a group of nine construction workers at Melur in Madurai district to be dropped at Chennai.

When the lorry was nearing Samayapuram, the driver lost control and the vehicle plunged into a roadside irrigation canal.

Of the nine people, eight were trapped under the plantains.

Stating that the accident was due to the negligence of the lorry driver, Mr Rajasekharan said a massive search was on to nab him as he was absconding soon after the accident Due to the accident, the busy vehicular traffic on the National Highway was affected for nearly two hours.

Meanwhile, State Transport Minister K N Nehru visited the government hospital this afternoon and later handed over a compensation of Rs 50,000 from the Chief Minister's relief fund to each of the bereaved family.

In another accident at Poothipuram cross in Dindigul district, five people, including three members of a family, were killed on the spot and two seriously injured, when a car collided with a lorry.

Police said the deceased were identified as S Jaya (40), her daughters S Pavithra (15) and S Rosali (10) of Madurai, V Murugan (55) of Krishnampatti village in Theni district, a driver with the state transport corporation and the car driver R Mani (30) from Allinagaram, Theni.

The condition of two injured, P Selvam, father of the two deceased girls and M Leelavathi (50), admitted to a corporate hospital here, was stated to be critical, police added.

MORE UNI