Two persons, including a 15-year-old girl were killed on Wednesday morning after a truck ran over them while they were on the way to Udhagamandalam.
The deceased persons have been identified as S. Sivashankari, 15, and Raja, 45. The two, along with Sivashankari’s mother, S. Suguna, 42, and son, S. Yuvan Shankar, 2, from Ondipudur in Coimbatore, were travelling to Udhagamandalam when the incident occurred along the Udhagamandalam-Coonoor Road, near Manthada. The four decided on the trip as the restaurant Suguna and Raja operated was closed for Krishna Jayanthi.
According to the police, Shivashankari ran a restaurant in Coimbatore, where Raja assisted her. The two had left for Udhagamandalam with the children early on Wednesday on a two-wheeler. Raja lost control of the vehicle on the outskirts of Udhagamandalam town and came under the wheels of a speeding truck.
While Raja and Sivashankari were killed on the spot, Suguna and Yuvan Shankar escaped with minor injuries.
Following the incident, the police arrested the driver of the truck, Puthiaraj, 32, from Ottupattarai in Coonoor. Due to the accident, traffic on the Udhagamandalam to Coonoor road was affected for a while.
