Train-van collision leaves 5 dead

Five persons were killed when the van they were travelling was rammed by a train at an unmanned level crossing.

Five persons were killed and nine suffered serious injuries when the van they were travelling was rammed by a train at an unmanned level crossing near Coimbatore on Friday evening.

Many others who were travelling on the van suffered injuries while the passengers and crew of the train escaped unhurt in the collision at Periyanaickenpalayam.

According to police,the van driver took the vehicle over the unmanned track,perhaps unaware that the special train from Mettuppalayam to Coimbatore was quite close by. The train was introduced only three days ago.

As the panicking driver jumped off and fled after failing to get the van across to safety,the train rammed and dragged the van for a distance,killing five on the spot. The injured are being treated at hospitals in Coimbatore and nearby areas; some are in a critical condition,said sources.

Initial reports said four men and a woman were the ones who died. Condoling the incident,Chief Minister M Karunanidhi announced a financial aid of Rs one lakh each for the families of the deceased and Rs 25,000 for those injured from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.

Union Telecom Minister A Raja,State Minister ‘Pongalur’ N Palanisamy and district collector,P Umanath met the injured at the Medical College Hospital in Coimbatore.

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