Chennai: At least three people from Tamil Nadu are among the eight persons killed in a major road mishap that happened in southern England after the mini bus in which they were traveling as part of their European tour, was sandwiched between two trucks on Friday night, reports reaching here said.
Araselvan
Police sources here identified the deceased from Tamil Nadu as Panneerselvam, 63, a retired professor of private polytechnic in an institute in Avadi and resident of Pillaiyarpalayam in neighbouring Kancheepuram district, his sister Tamil Mani, 50, and her husband Araselvan, 56, both settled in Delhi.
Tamil Mani
Initial reports show that Panneerselvam’s wife Valli, their son Manoranjan, 34, a techie working in Indian tech major Wipro’s London office and his wife Sangitha, 30, were among those involved in the accident.
Paneerselvam
Panneerselvam’s brother Kumaravel had approached the Kancheepuram district administration seeking help to bring the bodies of the deceased to their native place as early as possible.
Panneerselvam and his wife Valli had left from Chennai airport to Delhi on August 18 and on the same evening they flew to London with Tamilmani and her husband Araselvan. At London, they were all on a Euro tour arranged by Manoranjan, when the highway crash happened.
While eight people were killed, four others, including a five-year-old girl, are being treated at hospital for their injuries. The drivers of the two trucks were arrested, one of them on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.
The crash occurred on the busy M1 highway at Newport Pagnell in Buckinghamshire on Saturday 8.30 am (Indian time). Pictures from the crash site show extensive damage to the vehicles involved, including a FedEx vehicle and one belonging to AIM Logistics.
