Southern States - Tamil Nadu

16 die in bus smash near Tiruchi

By L. Renganathan

TIRUCHI APRIL 8. Sixteen persons died and 49 were injured when a private bus and a State Transport Corporation bus collided at Thiruvasi, on the Tiruchi-Namakkal highway, 12 km from here, this morning. Thirteen of the victims died on the spot.

In the impact of the collision, the private bus, going from Namakkal to Tiruchi, rolled over on one side, trapping the passengers underneath. Fourteen of the dead were travelling in the private bus, in which there were over 80 passengers. It was a veritable wreck, while the front and right side of the TNSTC city bus, bound for Therkku Sithambur from Tiruchi, were smashed.

Rescue teams extricated 49 passengers from the wreckage of the buses and rushed them to the Tiruchi and Srirangam Government Hospitals. Three of them died on way to hospital. The dead included nine men, five women and two children. Thirtythree persons including 14 women and two girls were undergoing treatment in the Tiruchi Government Hospital, while the rest were treated as outpatients. Seven of the dead have so far been identified: private bus driver Basha (40) of Namakkal, C. Manikandan (5), C. Rajappa (40), S. Shanmugam (18), R. Baskar (30), C. Muthammal (50), and V. Rajendran (40). The TNSTC driver, Jayasankar, suffered fractures in the legs.

The Superintendent of Police, Tiruchi, S. Rajan, and the Tiruchi TNSTC Managing Director, S. Kothandapani, visited the spot and supervised the relief operations. A posse of striking force personnel was deployed at the accident site. The Collector, K. Manivasan, called on the injured in the Tiruchi hospital.

The accident took place on a stretch where vehicular traffic is low.

CM announces relief

The Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, announced relief for the victims.

While Rs.50,000 would be given to each of the kin of the dead, Rs.15,000 would given to each of those who suffered serious injuries, and Rs.6,000 to those with simple injuries.

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