Five women die, 30 injured as cargo vehicle plunges into canal in TN

Five women died at Maniyachi near Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu after a cargo vehicle in which they were traveling went out of control and plunged into a canal on Tuesday. The vehicle was said to be overloaded and the accident left 30 people injured as many were trapped beneath it, after it overturned into the canal. According to police officers, around 35 farm workers were on their way to work when the accident occurred. 

The cargo vehicle was taking the 35 farm workers at Manappadaiveedu near Palayamkottai to Maniyaachi and Puthiyamputhur villages. When the passengers were about to reach Maniyaachi, the vehicle while negotiating a curve, plunged into the canal and overturned. In the impact, many people were trapped under the vehicle and passersby immediately rushed to help. The injured people were immediately sent to the Ottapidaram government hospital and the Thoothukudi medical college hospital with the help of locals.

Five labourers died on the spot and officials shifted the bodies of the deceased women to the Tirunelveli government medical college. The deceased have been identified as V Gomathi (65), M Petchiammal (54), Malai Azhagu (48), K Petchiammal (30) and S Eswari (27).

The police have registered a case and have started questioning the driver, N Chithirai (52), who escaped unhurt. The driver is suspected to have lost control of the vehicle while negotiating a curve on the Palayamkottai-Ottapidaram road. However, the police are conducting further inquiries.

The police fear that the death toll could increase as five more women were seriously injured.

Thoothukudi Superintendent of Police S Jayakumar and Maniyachi Deputy Superintendent of Police Shankar conducted an inquiry at the spot.

Thoothukudi Collector K Senthil Raj also visited the spot and instructed the Highways Department to create speed-breakers to avoid mishaps and overspeeding of vehicles. The Thirunelveli Collector Vishnu and Ottapidaram MLA Shanmugaiah met the victims at Tirunelveli Medical college Hospital.

(With IANS inputs)