Six persons, including three children, were killed when a van fell off a bridge near here in the wee hours of Thursday. Twelve others who sustained injuries have been admitted to the Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital.
Senthil Kumar, 28, along with 17 others from Thiruthangal in Virudhunagar district, were on their way to the Sri Subramanian Swamy temple in Tiruchendur in a hired van. G. Murugesan, a resident of Alamarapatti street, was behind the wheel.
When the van reached Karungulam, near Srivaikuntam, around 1.30 a.m., the driver lost control. The vehicle hit the parapet wall and plunged into a 20-foot pit. Witnesses informed the police, who rushed to the spot. The Srivaikuntam Fire and Rescue Services personnel tried to get the victims out of the van’s wreckage.
K. Packialakshmi, 46, R. Muthulakshmi, 65, G. Nithish, 4, S. Jegatheeswaran, 12, Arunachalapandi, 35, and a three-month-old infant Anish Pandi died on the spot.
S. Vishnu, Senthil Kumar, G. Suryaprabha, S. Mareeswari, A. Kousalya, V. Mallika, five-month-old infant G. Mugilan, Sugumaran, S. Swetha, S. Murugesan, S. Shenbaga Lakshmi, and Murugesan the driver, were admitted to the hospital.
Superintendent of Police Arun Balagopalan inspected the site of the accident. The Seithunganallur police have registered a case and are investigating.