6 die as 2 cars collide on Nellai-Kanyakumari NH

Madurai: Six people, including two children, died after two cars collided head-on on the Tirunelveli–Kanyakumari national highway at Thalapathisamudram near Nanguneri in Tirunelveli district on Sunday evening. Three people are battling for their lives, and the death toll is likely to rise, according to authorities.

Police said Mariappan from Anjugramam in Kanyakumari district was returning after offering prayers at Nellaiappar temple in Tirunelveli town. He was travelling with his wife and two children. Meanwhile, Thanishkumar, along with his mother, wife, and two children, was heading towards Tirunelveli.

When their cars neared Thalapathisamudram, Mariappan's car lost control, hit the median, and crossed over to the opposite lane. Thanishkumar, who was coming on the opposite lane, could not avoid the car, and two collided with a loud noise. Four people died on the spot as both vehicles sustained severe damage.

Other vehicles stopped and Eruvadi police were alerted. Police and fire services personnel rushed to the spot. They recovered the bodies from the mangled remains of the vehicles and sent the injured to Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital as well as Asaripallam Govt Medical College Hospital in Nagercoil.

Authorities struggled to collect information about the victims as all of them suffered severe injuries. Tirunelveli collector R Sukumar, who rushed to Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital, said four bodies have been kept there, those of a man, two women and one child. Bodies of a man and a child were at Kanyakumari Govt Medical College Hospital.

Though another child at Kanyakumari MCH is also feared dead, this could not be confirmed. Two more people are battling for their lives at the hospital, said authorities. Vehicular movement on Tirunelveli–Kanyakumari national highway was affected for more than an hour due to the accident. Eruvadi police filed a case and are investigating.