Krishnagiri: In a ghastly mishap, two Kovai youth were charred to death after the diesel tank of a truck burst into flames in a car-lorry collision on the Dharmapuri-Krishnagiri highway on Friday. Police said 30-year-old A.Antonyraj of Thudiyalur in Coimbatore, who owned a mobile shop at Gandhipuram and his friend Rejaras, 32, a native of Kozhikode in Kerala, were headed for Bengaluru in a car to purchase mobile phones and spares.
Around 4 am on Friday, when their car reached Nattankottai village, on Dharmapuri-Krishnagiri national highway, a truck rashly swerved towards the car. Antonyraj, who was driving the car, was unable to stop the vehicle and rammed into the diesel tank of the truck. The ruptured fuel tank burst into flames setting both vehicles on fire. The occupants of the truck jumped out of the vehicle and escaped with minor burn injuries. But Antonyraj and Rejaras travelling in the car were charred to death. By the time the fire engine arrived to douse the flames, the two youth were burnt beyond recognition.
The truck was transporting copra (dried coconut) from Uthukuli, near Kangayam in Erode district to Kathiri in Andhra Pradesh. The injured truck driver Sankaraya, 30, of Nulupalli village in Nandiyal in Andhra Pradesh and his assistant Naresh, 28, Jammamadukur, near Kollappalli of Cuddapah district in Andhra Pradesh were sent to Krishnagiri government hospital for treatment.
According to the police, the mishap was caused by the negligence of the truck driver who took a sudden turn at the lane intersection without noticing the car coming on the other lane of the road. Following the accident, traffic was disrupted for several hours on the highways.
Krishnagiri superintendent of police P.Kannammal, visited the accident spot and supervised the operations to restore the traffic on the Dharmapuri-Krishnagiri national highways.
