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NT Bureau
Tirunelveli, July 29:

        Ten people were killed and seven injured were battling for life at hospitals in two accidents on the highways near here. Both the road mishaps claimed holidayers as victims who were either going to or coming from Courtallam to enjoy the waterfall season.

        A van proceeding toward Courtallam with 20 small traders and their staff from Anupanadi and Kariapatti villages near Madurai collided head-on with a goods laden truck coming in the opposite direction on Rajapalayam - Thenkasi stretch of the National Highway at around 3.30 am. The lorry was going to Madurai from Senkottai.

        Given the speed with which the lorry struck the van, the latter was dragged to a distance of 50 feet and in the impact five persons — Kannan, 17, Suresh, 30, Angusamy, 45, Michael Raj, 25, and van driver Vadukaraj, 25 — were crushed to death on the spot.

        Two more persons, Srinivasan, 27, from Anupanadi and Vignesh, 27, from Makaalipatti died on the way to the hospital. Out of the 13 passengers who were injured, the condition of the five of them was stated to be critical and they were being treated at Rajaji Government Hospital in Madurai. Eight persons were admitted to hospital in Sivagiri.

        In another incident today, a Maruti car with five bank employees lost control and hit a tamarind tree on the roadside near Abishekapatti in the wee hours. The five bank staff, all residents of Tirunelveli, were returning home from Courtallam after bathing and spending time near the waterfall in late hours when their car jumped out of the road to hit a tree on roadside at high speed.

        In the sudden impact, Mukesh Kumar, 34, from Alwarkurichi, Selvakumar, 31, from Palayamkottai and Durai, 30, from Kurumbur were smashed to death instantly. The front portion of the car was damaged completely. The rest of the two persons were fighting for life at a hospital. Police have registered cases on two different road mishaps near Tirunelveli and have begun investigation.