Cuddalore: At least nine people were killed and several others sustained injuries after a State Express Transport Corporation (SETC) bus travelling from Tiruchy to Chennai met with a major accident near Ezhuthur in Cuddalore district on Wednesday night.
The accident occurred on the busy Chennai-Tiruchy National Highway and led to severe traffic disruption for several hours.
According to police, the front tyre of the SETC bus burst while it was passing through the Ezhuthur area, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
The bus first rammed into the central median, breaking through the barrier, and then crossed over into the opposite carriageway, where it collided head-on with two cars coming from the other direction.
The impact of the crash was devastating. Seven of the nine victims were travelling in the two cars, both of which were completely mangled beyond recognition.
Several others sustained serious injuries and were immediately rushed to nearby government and private hospitals. Two of the injured later succumbed to their injuries, taking the death toll to nine. Police said the deceased included four men, four women, and one child. Four other persons remain in critical condition and are undergoing intensive treatment.
Due to the severity of the impact, identification of some of the victims was initially delayed.
Further details revealed that one of the cars was occupied by Rajarathinam (69), a jewellery businessman from Karur, his wife Rajeswari (57), and their driver Jayakumar (45), all of whom died in the accident.
The second car was carrying Mubarack and Taj Birka, residents of the Pillai Thanneer Pandhal area in Pudukkottai district.
Another victim, Sirajuddin, was reportedly returning after seeing off a relative at Chennai airport, who was travelling to Canada, when the accident occurred.
On receiving information, police rushed to the spot, carried out rescue operations, and recovered the bodies from the wreckage. The injured were shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment.
The accident caused extensive damage to the median and vehicles, resulting in heavy traffic congestion on the Chennai-Tiruchy National Highway, with vehicular movement disrupted for several hours before normal traffic was restored.
The incident comes amid a spate of recent fatal road accidents across Tamil Nadu, particularly on national highways.
Police have registered a case and launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the accident, while authorities have once again stressed the importance of regular vehicle maintenance and strict adherence to road safety norms.
(IANS)
