5 killed in road accident near Madurai
Five people were killed in an accident on the Virudhunagar-Madurai highway in Sivarakottai near Tirumangalam, early on Wednesday. The victims included four family members from Villapuram in Madurai and a local fruit vendor. The accident took place when a speeding SUV collided with a moped and subsequently flipped over. The CCTV video of the incident has since gone viral.
Identification of deceased and injured in highway collision
The deceased were identified as R. Kanagavel (62), his wife Krishnakumari (51), their daughter-in-law Nagajothi (28), and her daughter Siva Athmika (8). The fifth victim was G. Pandi (52), a fruit vendor from Nilayur, who was riding the moped at the time of the accident. Four other people sustained injuries, including two children and two relatives of the deceased family.
Details of the accident unfolded
The family was returning home from Dhalavaipuram after visiting a temple when the accident occurred around 6:30 a.m. The SUV's driver, K Manikandan, noticed Pandi attempting to cross the highway on his moped and swerved to avoid him but lost control of his vehicle. The SUV struck Pandi before hitting the median strip, becoming airborne for several seconds and landing on the service road on the opposite side of the highway.
Trigger warning: Watch the video of the crash here
Immediate aftermath and ongoing investigation
Following the accident, the injured were immediately rushed to the Government hospital in Tirumangalam for treatment. The Kalligudi police have registered a case regarding this incident and are currently conducting an investigation. After the crash, the police cleared the debris from the scene to facilitate the smooth flow of traffic along the highway.
