Dharmapuri Highway Tragedy: Truck Rams Parked Tourist Van, Claims Two Lives
A devastating road accident on the Krishnagiri-Salem national highway near Dharmapuri has resulted in two fatalities and left three others with serious injuries. The tragic incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday when a speeding truck collided with a parked mini tourist van.
Victims Identified as Driver and Passenger from Ranipet
The deceased have been identified as Kumaresan, 38, who was driving the van, and Savithri, 53, both residents of Ranipet district. The injured victims include Tarun, 15, Kannu, 42, and Madhiri, 39, all of whom sustained critical injuries in the collision.
Accident Details: Parked Van Struck from Behind
According to police officials from Adhiyamaankottai station, the accident took place when the tourist van was temporarily parked on the roadside, opposite the new court gate on the national highway. A truck carrying cotton cloth hit the parked van from behind with tremendous force, causing the vehicle to overturn completely.
"Kumaresan and Savitri were seriously injured in the impact and died on the spot," stated a police officer from the Adhiyamaankottai station. "The collision was so severe that it immediately overturned the parked vehicle."
Medical Response and Investigation
Police personnel quickly arrived at the scene and recovered the bodies, which were subsequently sent to the Dharmapuri Government Medical College and Hospital for postmortem examination. The three injured individuals were admitted to the intensive care unit at the same medical facility, where they are receiving urgent treatment for their serious injuries.
Adhiyamaankottai police have registered a formal case and launched a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragic accident. Authorities are examining multiple factors including vehicle speed, road conditions, and potential driver negligence.
Family Pilgrimage Turns Tragic
The tourist van was carrying a family group of 24 people, including seven children, nine women, and eight men. They were traveling to visit their family deity's Perumal temple near Kondalampatty in Salem district when the tragedy struck.
The family had briefly halted their journey, parking the van temporarily on the highway roadside, when the speeding truck collided with their vehicle. What began as a religious pilgrimage turned into a nightmare for the entire family group, with two members losing their lives and three others fighting for survival in hospital.
This tragic incident highlights the ongoing concerns about highway safety in the region, particularly regarding parked vehicles on busy national highways. The investigation continues as authorities work to determine the exact sequence of events that led to this fatal collision.
