One dies as lorry ploughs into commuters in TN's Chengalpattu, several injured

Chennai, May 29 (IANS) One person was killed and several others injured when a cement mixing lorry lost control and rammed into a group of commuters waiting at a bus stop on GST Road near Pulipakkam in Chengalpattu district of Tamil Nadu on Thursday, officials said.

The deceased has been identified as Kumar (60), a resident of Pulipakkam who worked as a cook.

According to local sources, he was waiting at the bus stop to board a bus to Tambaram for his daily work when the lorry struck, killing him instantly.

The injured included several passengers on the city bus and its conductor.

Emergency services rushed to the scene, and the injured were immediately transported to the Chengalpattu Government Hospital for treatment.

Hospital authorities confirmed that some victims sustained fractures and head injuries, and a few are in critical condition.

The lorry, reportedly en route from Maduranthakam, lost control after crossing Chengalpattu. As it neared the Pulipakkam bus stop on the busy Tiruchy–Chennai National Highway, the vehicle veered off course and ploughed through people standing at the roadside, waiting for buses.

Eyewitnesses stated that the lorry showed no signs of slowing down after the initial impact and continued forward, eventually crashing into the rear of a Chengalpattu-Tambaram city bus that was parked just ahead.

The collision caused panic and chaos in the area. The driver of the cement mixer lorry fled the scene following the accident.

Chengalpattu district police have registered a case and launched a manhunt to apprehend the absconding driver.

Authorities are reviewing CCTV footage from the vicinity to aid the investigation.

The accident caused significant disruption to peak-hour traffic along the Tiruchy-Chennai National Highway, with vehicular movement between Chengalpattu and Pulipakkam severely affected for over two hours.

Traffic police were deployed to manage the situation and clear the debris, restoring normalcy later in the morning.

Residents of the area have demanded stricter enforcement of speed limits and better monitoring of heavy vehicles plying along the national highway, citing recurring accidents near bus stops and pedestrian zones.

--IANS

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