Three of family die as speeding car hits bike in Salem

Salem: Three of a family were killed after a bike in which they were riding was rammed by a speeding car near Kondalampatty in the city on Tuesday.
The Kondalampatty police said the accident took place when P Venkatachalam, 65, of Mel Kattuvalavu area, his wife Mariammal, 60, and daughter Poonkodi, 28, were returning to their house after visiting Mariammal’s mother at her house at Uthamacholapuram in the morning.
“When they attempted to cross Salem-Coimbatore National Highway near Kondalampatty, a speeding car that was heading to Coimbatore suddenly rammed their bike. All the three were thrown off the bike,” a police officer said.
While Mariammal and Poonkodi succumbed to their grave injuries on the spot, the Kondalampatty police rushed Venkatachalam to a nearby government hospital, where he died without responding to treatment.
“We have launched a search for the car driver whose identity is yet to be ascertained. He escaped after leaving behind his car at the accident spot. We have registered a case and launched a probe,” the officer said.