Two panchayat presidents died and three others were injured after the car in which they were travelling rammed a stationary trailer lorry from behind on the Madurai-Tiruchi national highway near Vanathirayanpatti diversion road in Viralimalai police station limits in Pudukottai district in the early hours on Thursday, August 31, 2023.
A group of four panchayat presidents from Virudhunagar district was proceeding in the car to Chennai to take part in a rally of panchayat presidents from all over the State, when the accident occurred at around 2 a.m. Police sources said the car apparently lost control and hit the median and then rammed a stationary trailer lorry on the road side.
Two panchayat presidents V. Karuppusamy (52) and K. Abhiman Raj (51) died while two others Sankar and Samuthram sustained injuries. The car driver Baskar, who was also injured, is suspected to have dozed off for a while while driving leading to the accident. The injured are undergoing treatment at the Government Hospital, Manapparai in Tiruchi district.
The Viralimalai police are investigating.