Three women killed as tractor overturns near Trichy

Trichy: Three women were killed and three others were injured as the rice-bag laden tractor in which they were travelling overturned after a truck dashed against it from behind on Trichy-Ariyalur highway on late Thursday.

Police identified the deceased as K Santhi, 50, P Selvanayagi, 64, and R Rasambal, 65, all from Alunthalaipur near Pullambadi. Six women and a man were commuting from Manachanallur to Alunthalaipur on the tractor driven by A Veeramani. Three women were sitting on rice bags while three others and the man were sitting on the tractor's engine.

Around 9pm, when the tractor neared Iruthayapuram village, a cement-laden truck driven by A Ravi hit the tractor's trailer from behind. In the impact, the tractor overturned into a roadside pit. Three women who were sitting on the rice bags were killed on the spot after the bags fell on them. The injured women received treatment at Lalgudi GH as outpatients.

The accident affected vehicular movement on Trichy-Ariyalur highway for more than 30 minutes.

The Lalgudi police registered a case and are investigating.