CHENNAI: Four people including an MTC bus driver were killed and three others were injured after a private luxury bus smashed into a tanker at Kavaraipettai in Tiruvallur district on the Kolkata-Chennai National Highway on Monday morning. Traffic was affected for nearly three hours on the busy stretch after the accident.
Police said the bus, belonging to Sri Krishna Travels, was coming from Hyderabad to Chennai with 27 passengers, while the tanker was carrying chemicals to a Chennai company. Near Thatchur junction at Kavaraipettai, the bus slammed into the tanker from the rear while trying to overtake it.
The front portion of the bus was completely damaged. Three people died on the spot, while one person died in hospital. Three others were injured and rushed to the Government Stanley Medical College and Hospital where they are said to be critical.
A few passersby and some residents of the area alerted police and fire services personnel and helped retrieve the bodies. The deceased were identified as Thokala Sathishkumar, 27, of Nellore, Sridhar, 22 of Kakinada, Rohit Prabath, 28 of Navalur and S Janakiraman, 42, of Thandalachery.
Janakiraman, a driver attached to the MTC's Padiyanallur depot, had finished shift and got on to the bus at Puduvayal, about 2km from his house. He was seated next to the driver's seat near the door.
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