Krishnagiri: Two people died and another victim was saved with the support of the villagers after a stone-laden truck fell into a deep gorge while moving on the hill road near Anchetti of Denkannikottai taluk of Krishnagiri district on Monday.
This tragic mishap occurred when the truck was moving in the Hogenakkal-Denkannikottai road. The local people who witnessed the incident tried to save the victim trapped inside the truck’s cabin. However, the rescue operation was initially stopped for a while fearing greater casualty, an eyewitness said.
“The truck met with the accident while negotiating a sharp curve in the low gradient road at Thirumukkal. The vehicle plunged into the gorge and stopped after hitting a small neem tree, 20 feet below from the road surface,” 45-year-old P. Raman told reporters.
Raman, who was among others conducting the rescue operation, added “Two people died and another person saved with critical injuries is getting treatment in the government hospital. The deaths were because of delay in getting help”.
According to the witnesses, the local people reached the victims in time but had to abandon the rescue operation leading to their deaths. The rescue operation was stopped fearing greater loss if the truck, found dangling with the support of the neem tree, rolled down further till it reached the end of the gorge.
The Denkannikottai fire station tenders and rescue personnel who was informed about the mishap, went to the spot and brought the victims out of the gorge. They were taken to the government hospital in Denkannikottai.
The deceased were identified as 30-year-old J. Johnson of Odisha and 24-year-old K. Ramdev of Jharkhand state. The third victim Muniyandi (54) of Madurai was admitted to the Denkannikottai government hospital.
