1 dead, 17 others injured in tourist van accident in Nilgiris; 2 arrested for misleading driver

One person was killed and 17 others were seriously injured in an accident when a private tourist van fell off the Kalhatti Ghat Road on the way. The victim who lost his life was identified as Muthumari (29) an IT professional. Two persons working with the resort, W Vinod Kumar, 25, from Chennai, and G. Joseph, 26, from Coimbatore were arrested for misguiding the van driver, as reported by news agency IANS.

The tourists were on a holiday and traveling to Masinagudi in Nilgiris. The Police have said that people who are not local residents are not allowed to descend the Kalhatti Ghat Road due to sharp gradients present on it which have caused major accidents in the past. The van was guided by Vinod and Joseph who were on a motorcycle. According to the police charge sheet, they made a detour and went past the police check post at Thalakunda junction. Police stationed at the junction make sure to divert vehicles from descending the ghat towards Masanagudi and Gudalur.

The accused Vinod, Joseph, and the driver of the van have been booked under Sections 279 (rash driving in a public place), 337, and 338 (causing hurt to persons by doing harsh or rash or negligent acts endangering human life) and 304 A (rash or negligent driving) of the Indian Penal Code, reported IANS.

In a similarly devastating accident earlier this week At least 22 girl students belonging to St. Xavier’s college in Jharkhand’s Ranchi were injured after their bus overturned in Sikkima's Gangtok on Tuesday. According to the police, the students were on an excursion to Sikkim. When they were returning to Siliguri in West Bengal on their way to Ranchi, their bus overturned at 7th Mile in the Ranipool police station area, they said.

The injured students were admitted to the Central Referral Hospital (CRH) at Tadong, the police added.