Christmas Holiday Trip Ends in Tragedy on National Highway
A festive journey turned into a nightmare for a young couple from Tamil Nadu early Wednesday morning. A woman was killed and her husband sustained serious injuries after a state transport bus collided with their car on the Chennai-Bengaluru national highway near Kancheepuram.
The deceased has been identified as Pinky, aged 30, wife of Praveen, 35. The couple were residents of the Arakkonam area in Ranipet district. Praveen, who works for a private company in Chennai, was driving the car as they set out for Bengaluru to spend the Christmas holidays with relatives.
Sequence of a Fatal Collision
The accident unfolded near Vellaigate in the early hours of Wednesday. According to preliminary information, a tanker lorry suddenly crossed the road. In response, Praveen attempted to slow down by applying the brakes.
At that critical moment, a Dharmapuri-bound government bus, which was following the car at high speed, failed to stop in time and rammed into it from behind. The impact was devastating, crushing the couple's vehicle between the tanker lorry and the bus, leaving it completely mangled.
Desperate Rescue and Traffic Chaos
In the immediate aftermath, Praveen managed to jump out of the wrecked car. However, Pinky was tragically trapped inside the crushed metal. Passers-by quickly alerted the police and the fire and rescue services.
Firefighters rushed to the spot and, with the help of the public, engaged in a strenuous rescue operation. It took them nearly 30 minutes to extricate Pinky from the wreckage. She was immediately rushed to the Kancheepuram Government Headquarters Hospital for emergency treatment.
Sadly, she succumbed to her injuries while en route to the hospital. Praveen was also taken to the hospital for treatment of his serious injuries.
The severe crash led to heavy traffic congestion and chaos on the busy national highway for over 30 minutes. The damaged tanker lorry and the government bus were later removed from the road using cranes, after which normal traffic flow was restored.
Investigation Underway
The Kancheepuram police have registered a case in connection with the accident and have launched a detailed investigation to determine the exact cause and circumstances. The tragic incident has once again highlighted the critical issue of road safety on India's national highways, especially during the holiday season when traffic volume is high.
