1 killed, 50 hurt as bus hits motorcycle

MADURAI: A man was killed and 50 passengers of a Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) bus  were injured after the vehicle hit a motorcycle and fell off  the bridge across the Gundaru river near Thirumangalam in the district on Monday. R Chinnakaruppan (27), of Kallanai, the motorcyclist, succumbed at the government hospital in Thirumangalam, while 33 passengers, who sustained major injuries, were admitted to the Government Rajaji Hospital, Madurai. Seventeen passengers were admitted to the Thirumangalam Government Hospital for minor injuries. “It would have been a major accident had there been water in the river,” said local residents. The TNSTC bus bearing number TN 58 N 1215 plying from Madurai to Sankarankoil left the Mattuthavani Integrated Bus Stand around 11.00 am and was packed to its capacity. It reached Thirumangalam around 11.45 am. As the bus neared a small bridge one km from the town, the driver, Abuthaaheer (36) of Peraiyur, spotted a two-wheeler coming from the opposite direction. Chinnakaruppan was riding the bike, while his wife K Meena (26), was on the pillion with her six-month-old baby. In his bid to avoid hitting the bike,  the driver lost control over the wheel and the bus fell off the bridge and overturned. Abuthaheer, who was admitted to the GRH, told  Express that Chinnakaruppan was speaking on the mobile phone while riding his two-wheeler and suddenly turned towards the right. “In an attempt to avoid hitting the bike, I tried to control the bus, but it ended up in  the accident,” he said.   “We were shocked when the bus overturned,” said Arif Mohammed (30), who along with his wife Rahamathnisha (27), and daughters Jazia Banu (5) and Hajeera Banu (3), of Virudhunagar, was admitted to the GRH.A 108 ambulance rushed to the spot and the injured persons were taken to the Government Hospital at Thirumangalam.  Meena, the wife of the deceased, and her baby are also undergoing treatment in the GRH.  Thirumangalam police have registered a case against the bus driver. Thirumangalam MLA M Muthuramalingam and other local party functionaries visited the injured at the Thirumangalam Government Hospital.