A 30-year-old man from Chennai was killed and five others were seriously injured after a car plunged into a 300-foot gorge near Kodaikanal on Monday.
The deceased has been identified as Mohammed Khayat, who had travelled to the hill station with friends. The group was staying at Melmalai and was driving along the Poombarai Road when the accident occurred near Palani View Point.
Police said the driver lost control of the vehicle on the hilly stretch, causing it to veer off the road and fall into the deep gorge. The occupants were trapped inside the mangled vehicle.
On receiving information, Kodaikanal police and Fire and Rescue Services personnel rushed to the spot and carried out rescue operations. Mohammed Khayat died on the spot, while the injured were shifted to the Government Hospital in Kodaikanal for treatment.
The body was sent for post-mortem, and a case has been registered. With tourist inflow rising during summer, calls have been made for stricter safety measures on hill roads.
