Accidents leave 17 killed, 26 injured in TN

Chennai, Feb 24 (UNI) As many as 17 people, including four of a family, were killed and 26 injured in separate road accidents across Tamil Nadu today.

Police said six people, including two women, were killed and as many injured when their van rammed into a tree while trying to avoid hitting a monkey in Tiruvannamalai district.

The victims were on their way to attend a betrothal function in Tiruvannamalai town from Sevvapet in Vellore district, when the mishap occurred.

As the vehicle neared Tiruvannamalai town, the van driver, tried to avoid hitting a monkey, which was crossing the road and swerved to the right. He lost control of the vehicle and rammed into a Tamarind tree, killing six occupants on the spot.

The injured were admitted to Vellore Government Hospital.

In another accident, four members of a family from Bangalore were killed and 16 injured, when a van in which they were travelling collided with a private bus at Thuppukanapalli village on the Dharmapuri-Hosur Road in Krishnagiri district.

They were identified as Nanjappa and his family members.

While 15 people travelling in the bus sustained injuries and were admitted to Hosur Government Hospital, the other injured, travelling in the van, was referred to a private hospital in Bangalore.

In yet another accident, three people were killed and four injured when the van in which they were travelling rammed into a stationary lorry in Vellore district.

Similarly, two bikers were killed after hitting a lamp post at Yercaud in Salem district.

In another accident, two persons were knocked down by a state-owned bus on the Karur-Coimbatore National Highway in Karur district.

UNI GV/RV NY BST2317