TN: Govt gives Rs 3 lakh relief assistance to next of kin of Sivaganga bus accident victims; postmortem of 3 bodies completed

SIVAGANGA : Postmortem examination of the bodies of 3 women who died in the bus accident near Tiruppattur in Tamil Nadu’s Sivagangai district has been completed, officials said on Monday. The next of kin of the deceased also received ₹3 lakh each from state ministers Sivansakar and KR Periya Karuppan.

Transport Minister Sivasankar and Cooperation Minister KR Periya Karuppan also visited the injured undergoing treatment at Sivagangai Government Medical College Hospital. The ministers also paid respects to the deceased, garlanding their bodies.

“Post-mortem examinations were conducted on the bodies of the three women who died in the accident, and the bodies were handed over to their families overnight. The State Government’s relief assistance of ₹3 lakh each was also issued as cheques,” according to an official statement.

The postmortem of three deceased women, identified as Deivanai, Chellam, and Gunalakshmi, was completed, and the relief assistance was handed over to the families by the ministers, according to the district’s Public Relations Officer (PRO).

A Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation bus travelling from Kangeyam to Karaikudi and another TN government bus travelling from Karaikudi to Dindigul collided head-on at around 5:00 PM on Sunday. So far, 11 people have been declared dead, and more than 20 have been reported injured.

The injured have been admitted for treatment at the Karaikudi Government Hospital, Tirupattur Government Hospital, and Sivagangai Government Hospital, the police said.

Police personnel and Fire and Rescue Service teams rushed to the spot and rescued the injured. The Sivagangai District Superintendent of Police, Deputy Superintendent of Police, and Tirupattur officials also arrived at the scene and expedited the rescue operations.

Earlier, Chief Minister MK Stalin condoled the deaths. Stalin said he had deputed Sivaganga District Collector and District In-Charge Minister KR Periyakaruppan to the accident spot immediately to ensure that all affected people received proper medical support. In a statement, he announced Rs 3 lakh each for the families of the deceased, a compensation of Rs 1 lakh each for those who sustained serious injuries, and Rs 50,000 each for those who suffered minor injuries.

President Droupadi Murmu has also expressed grief over the loss of lives in the accident. In a post on X, the President said, “The news of the loss of lives in a tragic accident in Sivaganga, Tamil Nadu, is very sad. I extend my deep condolences to bereaved families and pray for the swift recovery of those injured.” (ANI)