A tragic multi-vehicle collision triggered by stray cattle claimed two lives and left three women with serious injuries on a Chennai outskirts road on Friday night. The incident has once again highlighted the persistent danger posed by stray animals on Indian roads.
Sequence of the Fatal Collision
The accident unfolded on the Mannivakkam–Adhanur Road, a crucial link between the Vandalur–Walajabad and Guduvanchery–Madambakkam roads. According to police reports, a private company van was speeding along the stretch near Adhanur when two cows suddenly ran across the road. The driver lost control after hitting the animals, leading to a chain-reaction crash.
The out-of-control van first collided with a goods autorickshaw before slamming into two motorcycles coming from the opposite direction. The impact was severe, resulting in immediate fatalities and critical injuries.
Victims and Immediate Aftermath
Two men died on the spot. They were identified as Rajkumar (52), an Assistant Engineer at the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board office in Adyar and a resident of Jawahar Nagar in Adhanur, and Venkatesan (58) from Karthi Nagar, Madambakkam.
Rajkumar was returning home from work with his daughter Sandhya riding pillion. While he succumbed to his injuries instantly, Sandhya sustained serious injuries. Venkatesan was riding with his wife Savitha (48), who also suffered grievous injuries in the crash. A third injured woman, Mythili, was hit by the van while walking along the road and sustained critical injuries.
On receiving information, Manimangalam police rushed to the scene. They rescued the three injured women and shifted them for medical care. Sandhya and Savitha were admitted to a private hospital in Potheri, while Mythili was taken to the Tambaram Government Hospital. The bodies of the deceased were sent to the Tambaram Government Hospital for postmortem examination. The two cows involved in the accident also died at the spot.
Ongoing Investigation and Broader Concerns
The Manimangalam police have registered a case, and further investigation is underway to determine the exact speed of the van and establish a complete sequence of events.
This fatal accident underscores a recurring and deadly problem in many parts of India: the menace of stray cattle on roads. Incidents like this near Guduvanchery raise urgent questions about cattle management and road safety measures, especially on busy connectors like the Mannivakkam–Adhanur Road. The community is left mourning the loss of lives while authorities grapple with preventing such tragedies in the future.
