Madurai: Fourteen persons died in a collision between a government bus and a lorry at Paraipatti on national highway-208 near T. Kallupatti, 60 km from here, on Saturday.
The impact of the collision was so severe that the head of the lorry driver was almost completely severed from his body, which was found crushed inside. Bus driver Murugesan (45) who sustained grievous injuries died on the way to hospital.
Thirty-seven passengers who sustained injuries were rushed to GRH in Madurai after first-aid. Bus conductor Rathinaswamy (45) who was not aware of his colleague’s death said, “Till the last minute, we tried to avoid the accident, but it appears that the lorry driver was sleeping at the wheel.”
Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and Governor Rosaiah condoled the death of passengers and expressed their sympathies with the families of the deceased.
She directed a compensation of Rs 1 lakh each be given to the families of the victims and Rs 50,000 to the seriously injured persons undergoing treatment. In a statement she said she had asked the Madurai district administration to ensure the best medical treatment for the injured and prayed for their speedy recovery.
