Six of family killed in car-tanker lorry collision

Six members of a family were killed and one woman sustained serious injuries after the car in which they were travelling collided head-on with a diesel tanker lorry near Uthukuli in Tiruppur district.
According to police, Hema, her husband Mugilan, her father Easwaran, mother Thirumagal, grandmother Sivakami and their children, Sreenithu and Kanish, all residents of Saminathapuram in Salem, had travelled to Palladam to attend a relative’s funeral.
While they were returning to Salem on Friday evening, their car collided head-on with a diesel tanker lorry near Kakkapallam on the Uthukuli route. The impact completely mangled the car.
Police said Mugilan, Easwaran, Thirumagal, Sivakami, Sreenithu and Kanish died on the spot. Hema, who sustained grievous injuries, was rescued by local residents and admitted to a nearby hospital for treatment. Uthukuli Police have registered a case and launched an investigation. Efforts are under way to trace the tanker lorry driver, who allegedly fled the scene after the accident.