Two more killed during rain in Madurai

Police say the deceased man and woman drowned in rain water near Madurai Railway station on July 30

Even as two carpenters were electrocuted to death in Andalpuram here on Saturday night, two more persons, a 40-year-old man and a 45-year-old woman, were found lying dead in rain water under a tree in West Marret Street later in the night.

However, the police have registered a case of suspicious death of the man identified as R. Rathinakumar (40) and an unidentified 45-year-old woman. The bodies bore no marks for electrocution by electric shock or lightning, the police added.

"Both of them have died due to drowning in the rain water that has run deep on the low lying areas of the street," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (South), R. Srinivasa Perumal. The bodies have been taken to Government Rajaji Hospital for post-mortem.

Earlier, G. Jegadeesan (38) suffered electrical shock when he touched electrical fittings at a house in Andalpuram, where they were working during the rain. His uncle, P. Murugesan, who tried to rescue him was also electrocuted and both were killed on the spot.

Meanwhile, the sudden cloudburst witnessed for more than an hour from 6.15 p.m. arterial roads were inundated, leading to slowing down of road traffic near Periyar Bus stand and Railway junction, Dindigul by-pass road. At least two-foot-deep water was running on Gokhale Road that caused traffic congestion amidst heavy rain accompanied by thunder and lightning.

A private school bus that was returning to its parking lot got stuck in stagnant rain water in the sub-way near Arappalayam. Eventually, majority portion of the bus got submerged under the water due to unrelenting rain. Fire and Rescue Services personnel had to deploy a crane to pull out the bus after an hour of struggle.

Heavy rain also pulled down three trees in the city since Saturday night that kept the fire and rescue services personnel on their toes. Two trees — pungai and neem, fell over parked vehicles near Tirumalai Naicker Mahal. A van, autorickshaw, car and a two-wheeler were damaged. None was injured during the incident. A neem tree in Central Prison Quarters in New Jail Road fell down over electric cable on Sunday morning.