Three Youths Killed in Head-On Collision with TNSTC Bus in Tirunelveli

TIRUNELVELI: In a tragic road accident, three youngsters lost their lives after their two-wheeler collided head-on with a Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) bus on the Tiruvalluvar bridge in Tirunelveli district early Sunday.

The deceased were identified as Lokesh (23), Santhosh (22), and Sadiq (22). According to police, Lokesh was employed at a fuel station in Tirunelveli, Sadiq worked at a restaurant in Palayamkottai, while Santhosh, who worked at a lathe unit in Coimbatore, had recently returned to his grandmother’s house in the city.

Sources said the three friends were heading towards Tirunelveli Junction to have tea when the accident occurred. The TNSTC bus, driven by Raja of Alangulam and bound for Tenkasi, had left the new bus stand around 1.15 a.m. As the bus entered the Tiruvalluvar bridge, the two-wheeler reportedly lost control and crashed into it head-on.

The impact of the collision threw all three riders off the vehicle, killing them instantly. The driver and conductor of the bus immediately alerted police and ambulance services. The Tirunelveli City Traffic Investigation Wing police retrieved the bodies and sent them to Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital for postmortem. A case has been registered and further investigation is underway.

In a separate incident the same day, seven persons, including two children, sustained injuries after their car overturned into a roadside pit near Pudur on the Tirunelveli-Tenkasi four-lane road. Police identified the injured as Selvakumar (35), his wife Kanimozhi (29), their son Ajay (7), relatives Nayagam (53), Madhimalar (33), her son Serin Mithran (8), and others. The family was on their way to Tiruchendur temple from Pavoorchatram when the mishap occurred.

Both accidents have raised concerns about road safety in the district, with authorities urging motorists to exercise caution, especially during late-night and early-morning travel.