Woman passenger killed, 23 injured as speeding private bus rams against stationary truck on Rameswaram highway in Madurai

Speeding bus crash on Paramakudi-Madurai highway kills woman, injures 23; driver flees scene, causing critical injuries.

In a gory accident, a speeding private mofussil bus rammed against a stationary truck and two other vehicles on Paramakudi-Madurai highway near Viraghanoor junction, in which a woman passenger was killed and 23 others were injured, on Thursday evening.

The deceased was identified as B. Stella Selvi, 59, of Idaikattur in Sivaganga district. Among the injured, the condition of four persons is said to be critical, according to the police.

The driver of the bus who fled the scene after the accident is said to have lost control of the speeding bus.

Just some 200 metres ahead of the Viraghanoor roundabout, the overspeeding bus hit a truck, parked on extreme left side of the four-way highway. The bus was travelling in such a high speed that the truck was pushed for some 100 metres and consequently it hit a pick-up van and a car parked on the roadside.

Traffic police personnel present at the police booth at the junction rushed to the spot.

Firemen had to work hard to pull out some of the passengers, who had got trapped in the mangled remains of the bus. At least three rows of seats on the left half of the bus was fully smashed.

Superintendent of Police B. K. Arvind, rushed to the spot and oversaw the relief works. The injured were rushed to the Government Rajaji Hospital.