Erode: Tragedy struck on Tuesday, March 12, 2024, near the 27th hairpin bend on the Dhimbam Ghat Road in Erode district, as a sugarcane-laden lorry toppled onto an Omni van, resulting in the death of three individuals and injuries to three others, reported The Hindu.
The ill-fated omni van, en route to Nanjangud in Mysuru district, was crushed when a Karnataka-registered lorry, While negotiating the final 27th hairpin bend, the lorry driver lost control of his vehicle and the lorry fell on the omni van. The van was severely damaged and three persons, Kumar, 60, of Nambiyur, Selvam, 50, of Nayakkanur, and Chennaiyan, 55, of Kasipalayam, died on the spot.
Three other passengers, Soundaraj (60) of Kondamuthanur, Selvam (63) of Moolakinarau, and Manohar (59) of Erode, sustained injuries and were rescued after a painstaking two-hour effort. Emergency services transported the injured to the Government Hospital in Sathyamangalam, and subsequently, to the Government Erode Medical College and Hospital in Perundurai. The bodies of the deceased were taken to the Sathyamangalam General Hospital.
The Dindigul – Bengaluru National Highway 948, traversing through the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR) from the Bannari check-post to Karapallamthe check-post near Hasanur, includes a challenging 15 km stretch with 27 hairpin bends, including the location of the tragic incident.
The resulting accident caused traffic disruptions on both sides of the road, prompting the deployment of police personnel to regulate vehicle movement. The Hasanur police have initiated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
