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NT Bureau
Chennai, Dec 27:
 

WHAT A FALL: The ill-fated bus that plunged from above the bridge near Pattukottai today.

        Eight people were killed and 23 injured when a State transport bus plunged into a river bed after hitting a retaining wall of a bridge near Pattukottai early this morning.

        The accident occurred when the bus carrying over 30 passengers was proceeding from Nagapattinam to Thondi Nagar at Ramanathapuram district. The commuters were returning after paying homage to the victims of tsunami at Nagapattinam on the occasion of its second anniversary. As the traffic was much less at the wee hours, the bus gathered speed and when it reached a bridge over the Nasuvani river, near Pattukottai, the driver lost control of the wheel and rammed the bus into the retaining wall. The bus fell down over a height of 30 ft and landed on a deep gorge.

        In the impact six people died on the spot. And another 25 were injured in the mishap. Among the six dead were Rangammal, Seerangam, Jayapal, Ramachandiran, all aged around 50, Chellaiyan, 60, and the identity of another dead was not known immediately.

        All the 25 injured were admitted to Pattukottai Government Hospital where the bus conductor Pakirisamy, 45, died without responding to the treatment. While shifting some of the injured to the Thanjavur Government Hospital, a woman died taking the total number of dead to eight. Hearing the incident, District Collector Vijayaraj Kumar and Police Superintendent Ananth Kumar visited the accident site and expedited the relief work. They also visited the injured being treated at the hospitals and expressed their condolence.

        Also, Pattukottai MLA Rangaraj met the victims at the hospitals and conveyed his grievance. Most of the injured were fishermen and hailed from villages like Akkarapettai, Peechankuppam and Tharangambadi near Nagapattinam.

        Most of the passengers have come to pay their homage to those killed in tsunami at Nagappatinam and when the bus carrying them was returning to Mallipattinam the accident occurred. Due to the negligence of the driver the accident had occurred, according to sources, who add a detailed investigation was being taken up by the police.