Swerving diesel tanker kills elderly woman, chaos erupts on Tiruvannamalai highway

A tragic accident occurred today near Arasampattu, a village in the Tiruvannamalai district, when a diesel tanker overturned while trying to avoid hitting a pedestrian, resulting in the death of a 70-year-old woman.
The incident took place on the Tiruvannamalai–Krishnagiri National Highway, a busy inter-district route. The tanker, carrying 16,000 liters of diesel from Chennai to Karnataka, encountered the elderly woman, identified as Kanakambaram, attempting to cross the road.
Despite the driver’s effort to swerve, the vehicle struck her fatally and overturned into a roadside ditch.
In the aftermath, villagers rushed to the spot with containers to collect the spilled diesel, disregarding the danger and the police’s attempts to secure the area. Traffic was heavily disrupted on the Tiruvannamalai stretch of the highway as authorities worked to manage the spill and clear the wreckage.
Police have registered a case and initiated an investigation while also cautioning locals against such unsafe behavior during fuel spills. The tragic incident highlights the pressing need for improved pedestrian safety on major highways.