3 killed in bus-car collision near Mettupalayam

The deceased were identified as S. Muthukumar (21) of Rathinapuri and S. Karan (21) of R.S. Puram ( IT employee in Bengaluru), and R. Vineeth (22) of Kavundampalayam (IT employee) in Chennai. Viney Karthik (21) of Saibaba Colony who drove the car escaped with injuries. 

Police said that they were among a group of 12 friends who graduated from a private college in Coimbatore earlier this year. They had attended their friend’s marriage in Coimbatore and returning to Udhagamandalam in three cars. The victims were in one of the cars and they met with an accident colliding head-on against a private bus heading from Udhagamandalam to Kerala, on the Annur Road. The police said that 40 students of a private school were in the bus that was driven by Nishanth (34) of Kerala. Accompanied by four teachers they had gone to Udhagamandalam on an excursion and were returning to Kerala when the accident took place. 

Muthukumar, Karan and Vineeth died on the spot and their bodies were taken to the Mettupalayam Government Hospital for autopsy. Viney was rushed to the Mettupalayam Government Hospital and referred to the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital. It is learnt that he was out of danger. The police claimed that the students in the bus were not injured in the incident and that alternate arrangement was being made to take them back in another bus. Mettupalayam police have registered a case and are investigating.