A tragic road accident in Tamil Nadu's Cuddalore district claimed the lives of nine people on Wednesday night. The accident occurred near Ezhuthur on the Chennai-Tiruchy National Highway when a State Express Transport Corporation (SETC) bus, traveling from Tiruchirappalli to Chennai, collided with two cars.
According to police reports, the accident was triggered when the front tyre of the bus burst, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle. The bus then veered into the opposite lane, crashing head-on into two cars traveling from Chennai towards Tiruchirappalli. The impact of the collision was devastating, resulting in the immediate deaths of seven car occupants. Two more of the injured succumbed to their injuries later, raising the death toll to nine.
Among the deceased were four men, four women, and one child. Initial identification of some victims was delayed due to the severity of the impact. Further details revealed that one of the cars was occupied by a jewellery businessman from Karur, Rajarathinam (69), 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.
Several others sustained serious injuries and were rushed to nearby government and private hospitals. Four people remain in critical condition and are undergoing intensive treatment. Police and fire and rescue services reached the spot soon after the accident and carried out rescue operations, recovering the bodies from the wreckage and shifting the injured to hospitals.
The accident caused extensive damage to the vehicles and the median. Traffic on the Chennai-Tiruchy National Highway was severely disrupted for several hours as emergency teams cleared the wreckage.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin expressed his shock and sadness over the incident and conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families. He has directed authorities to provide the best possible care to the injured in government hospitals and announced a relief of Rs 3 lakh to the families of each of the deceased from the CM's Public Relief Fund. The injured will receive Rs 1 lakh each.
Police have registered a case and launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the accident. Authorities have stressed the importance of regular vehicle maintenance and strict adherence to road safety norms. This tragic accident comes amidst a series of fatal road accidents in Tamil Nadu, particularly on national highways.
