Chennai: One person was killed and at least 17 others were injured when the private bus in which they were travelling rammed into a loaded truck while attempting to overtake it near Madurantakam in the early hours of Wednesday.
The accident occurred at around 6: 30 am. Police said that the private bus carrying employees of an automobile company heading towards the company in Oragadam was travelling at high speed and the driver of the bus tried to overtake a loaded liquor truck moving in the front, leading to the accident.
Sources said that the truck headed from a private liquor factory in Acharapakkam was hit by the bus when the vehicles were near Kalaipiranpuram in Madurantakam on the Tiruchy-Chennai national highway. The driver overtook a moving truck. When the truck slowed down, the private bus rammed it from behind, said a police officer. The private bus driver identified as P.Murugesan ( 50) of Achurapakkam was crushed to death on the spot while 17 others sustained injuries in the incident. The driver of the truck fled from the scene after the accident. Passers-by and motorists came to the rescue of the people trapped inside the bus. The passengers were rescued in an hour, said police. Police personnel from Madurantakam station and fire personnel came to the rescue.
Seven passengers who suffered severe injuries were rushed to the Chengalpattu government hospital and ten others were sent to the Madurantakam hospital.
Madurantakam police registered a case and continuing investigations. Police said that the accident disrupted vehicular movements on stretch for more than two hours and vehicles were diverted on the Chennai -Trichy NH.
