Three police personnel including a CRPF Assistant Commandant from Karnataka, who were on poll duty, died in a road accident after the jeep they were travelling collided with Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) bus on Bypass Road near Kilpennathur town in Tiruvannamalai on Thursday (April 11, 2024) evening.
Police said the deceased were identified as K. Prabhakara (55), Assistant Commandant (CRPF), Karnataka, S. Dinesh (29), a constable attached with Armed Reserve (AR) wing of Salem police, and N. Vittal (35), CRPF gunmen. Mr. Prabhakara and Mr. Dinesh died on the spot whereas Vittal succumbed to injuries later at the Government Medical College Hospital in Tiruvannamalai town. Deputy Commandant (CRPF) S. Hemanth Kumar (42) and B. Jayakumar (37) of Salem police, were injured in the accident.
Police said initial inquiry revealed that eight companies from CRPF ‘s battlion in Karnataka were sent for election duty in Salem region comprising Salem, Krishnagiri, Namakkal, Dharmapuri and surrounding areas under its deputy commandant Mr. Hemanth Kumar on March 31.
As part of routine inspection of police personnel, who were on poll duties in these districts, Mr. Hemanth Kumar, who was stationed at Salem, inspected the CRPF company in Dharmapuri that was led by Mr. Prabhakara on Thursday. Mr. Hemant Kumar was accompanied by his gunmen Mr. Vittal, constable Mr. Dinesh, who drove the jeep, and Mr. Jayakumar of Salem police.
After inspection, police said all five police personnel visited Kancheepuram to worship in a few temples there. On their return to Salem late in the evening, Dinesh was driving the vehicle on the Bypass Road towards Tiruvannamalai town when he suddenly lost control of the vehicle near a sharp turn and hit the government bus that was coming from Tiruvannamalai town and was heading towards Chennai. In the impact, windshields of the bus were damaged, and commuters escaped with minor injuries.
Immediately, passersby and other motorists rescued the injured persons. They also alerted Kilpennathur police and 108 ambulances. Injured persons were shifted to the government hospital in Tiruvannamalai town.
The Superintendent of Police (Tiruvannamalai) K. Karthikeyan inspected the accident spot. A case has been registered. On Friday, Collector D. Bhaskara Pandian and SP Mr. Karthikeyan paid floral tributes to bodies of the victims that were kept at the AR parade ground in Tiruvannamalai town.
