Three persons, including an elderly couple from Ramanathapuram district, were killed when a cargo vehicle, carrying devotees back from Palani, rammed against a truck near Devakottai in the wee hours of Thursday.
The deceased were identified as N. Namburajan (60) of Azhankulam and his wife, Kaliammal (55) and the driver of the cargo vehicle, I. Mohammed Anwar (38).
Five persons, who were injured, were admitted to the Sivaganga Government Medical College hospital.
The police said that the cargo vehicle was returning home after seven devotees went to offer prayers at Dhandayuthapaniswamy temple in Palani on padayatra. The vehicle had been accompanying them for supplying food.
When the cargo vehicle was proceeding on Tiruchi-Thondi national highways, it had a head-on collision with the truck near Thalakavayal at around 2.30 a.m.
In the impact of the collision, all the three were killed on the spot.
Devakottai Deputy Superintendent of Police, T. Parthiban, and Devakottai Taluk Inspector of Police, K. Saravanan, rushed to the spot and carried out rescue work. One of the injured has suffered fracture on the spinal chord, the police said
The truck, driven by P. Prabhu (23) of Asurapatti, was returning to Pudukottai district after unloading stone pillars in Erwadi.
Devakottai Taluk police are investigating.
