10 Sabari pilgrims from Telangana killed in TN road accident

 Hyderabad: Ten Sabarimala pilgrims from Medak district died and five others suffered severe injuries in a road accident on the national highway near Thirumayam in Pudukkottai district of Tamil Nadu. According to the Pudukkottai police, the accident occurred on Sunday afternoon when the van in which they were travelling was rammed by a trailer truck resulting in the death of seven pilgrims on the spot. Three pilgrims have succumbed to their injuries while undergoing treatment at the government hospital and six other injured pilgrims were shifted to the Pudukkottai Medical College Hospital for treatment.

Tamil Nadu Health Minister C Vijaya Baskar, District Collector S Ganesh and District Superintendent of Police S Selva Raj visited the Pudukkottai Medical College, where the injured pilgrims were undergoing treatment. According to initial reports, all the diseased identified so far are from Narsapur, Kazipet from the Hatsura mandal, Manthur, Reddypalli, Chinna Chintakunta and Mangapur villages of Medak district.

Selvaraj, who visited the accident spot, told to the media that preliminary inquiries reveal that the accident took place at 2.35 pm, while the pilgrims were returning after visiting Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala, and were travelling on their way back from Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu.

The rash driving on the part of the trailer truck driver resulted in the tragic accident. The victims are: Suresh (25), M Kumar (22), Sham (22), S Pravin (24) R Nagaraj (35), A Mahesh (28) Krishna (35), M Saai (22) and Anjaneyulu (25). 

Initially, the injured pilgrims were rushed to the Thirumayam Government Hospital and later shifted to the Pudukkottai Medical College Hospital for better treatment. Four of the five injured undergoing treatment at the Pudukkottai Medical College Hospital were identified as Naresh, S Venkatesh (35), D Raju (28), and N Sai. 

Meanwhile, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhara Rao expressed shock over the loss of life in the road accident at Pudukkottai in Tamil Nadu. Extending condolences to the members of the bereaved families and wishing speedy recovery of the injured, the chief minister directed the officials to provide better medical facilities to the injured pilgrims.

Telangana officials have called up their counterparts to inquire about the accident and sought to extend all necessary assistance to the injured. Also, arrangements are being made to bring back the mortal remains of the deceased pilgrims to Medak.

Medak District Collector Dharma Reddy talked his Puddhukkottai counterpart S Ganesh and asked to extend better medical treatment to those undergoing treatment at the Pudukkottai Medical College. Expressing shock over the accident Siddipet MLA T Harish Rao and Sircilla MLA K T Rama Rao took to twitter and expressed their condolences to the families of the deceased in the accident. Harish Rao said that the Pudukkottai District Collector has been requested to extend better medical treatment. 

He asked the pilgrims to be alert while travelling and expressed his condolences to the bereaved families. Rama Rao expressing shock over the incident wished for the speedy recovery and extended condolences to the families of the deceased pilgrims. He said that CM has instructed the officials to take necessary steps to extend medical treatment to the injured.