Six members of a family were killed and two children injured when the vehicle in which they were travelling hit a median and toppled at Padiri on the Tindivanam-Chennai NH on Thursday morning.
The victims were identified as Murugesh, 40, Murugaraj, 38, Sori Murugan, 35, Malar, 30, Raji and Muthu Manisha, all hailing from Thisayanvilai in Tirunelveli district.
According to police, the accident took place at around 6 a.m. The family members were on their way to Chennai from Kanniyakumari. When they reached Padiri, Raji, who was at the wheel, lost control of the SUV and rammed into a median.
Six persons died on the spot, while two children, Muthu Harish, 6, and Muthu Manisha, 8, who were severely injured, were rushed to the Villupuram Government Medical College and Hospital (VGMCH) at Mundiyambakkam.
Police suspect that the driver dozed off and crashed into the median, as a result of which the vehicle toppled.
The Olakkur police are investigating.
