Four individuals lost their lives and 30 others sustained injuries when a Karnataka State Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus collided with a truck on Thursday. The accident occurred in Ranipet, leaving the front portion of the bus mangled and sparking widespread concern over road safety. The deceased were identified as Manjunathan, Krishnappa, Sankaran, and Somashekaharan, according to Ranipet Police. Among the injured, three remain in critical condition and are being treated at local hospitals. The bodies of the deceased are undergoing post-mortem at the Ranipet Government Hospital before being handed over to their families. This tragic accident adds to a growing list of fatal road incidents in Tamil Nadu over recent weeks.
On December 26, a devastating collision on the Chennai-Tiruchi highway near Paadalam in Chengalpattu district claimed three lives from a single family. Ganapathy (40), his daughter Hema (13), and son Bala (10) succumbed to injuries when their car was struck by another vehicle that had lost control.
Survivors from the family, including Ganapathy’s wife Sarannya (35), her sister Jaya (30), and her daughter Divya (3), sustained injuries and are undergoing treatment at Chengalpattu Government Medical College Hospital. The family was travelling from Chennai to Dindigul when the tragedy unfolded.
Earlier in the month, on December 12, a collision in Coimbatore district claimed the lives of three individuals from Kerala, including a two-month-old infant. The accident occurred in Madukkarai when an Alto car carrying the family collided with a truck.
The victims were identified as Jacob Abraham (60), his wife Sheeba (55), and their grandson Aaron (2 months), all hailing from Eraviperur in Pathanamthitta district, Kerala. Jacob’s daughter Aleena (21), Aaron’s mother, is still hospitalized in critical condition. The family had been en route to Bengaluru from Pathanamthitta.
Despite these harrowing incidents, Tamil Nadu Police report a 5% reduction in fatal road accidents and deaths in the first seven months of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.