At least 7 women returning from Karnataka were killed in a freak accident in this district on Monday when a stationary van crushed them after being hit from the rear by a lorry, police said.
The victims were seated on the road side when the accident happened, they said.
About 13 persons who were injured in the mishap involving the two vehicles were admitted to local government hospitals.
According to a senior police official, the victims were part of a group from Onanguttai village, near Ambur in Vellore district, who had embarked on a trip to Dharmasala in Karnataka on September 8.
While they were returning home in two vans, the tyre of one of the vehicle burst stranding the passengers at Natrampalli on the Bengaluru-Chennai national highway.
"The van driver was attending to the repair work after asking the tourists to disembark. Suddenly, a speeding lorry coming from Bengaluru hit the van from behind, and due to the impact the van overturned crushing seven women," he said.
The victims have been identified as Meera, Deivanai, Sithammal alias Selvi, Devaki, Savithri, Kalavathi and Geethanjali, said police.
Ten others who had travelled in the ill-fated van and three persons from the lorry have been admitted to the Tirupathur and Vaniyambadi government hospitals.
The Natrampalli police have registered a case.
Expressing heartfelt condolences and sympathies to the bereaved families, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin announced a solatium of Rs one lakh to each of the affected family.
Also, Rs 50,000 will be paid through the Chief Minister's Public Relief Fund to the injured undergoing treatment, he said in a statement.
Featured Video Of The Day
Hyderabad's Grand Welcome For New Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu
"No Guarantee For Common Man's Life": K Annamalai On Mayawati Aide's Murder Rahul Gandhi, MK Stalin React To Mayawati Aide's Murder In Chennai BSP Tamil Nadu Chief Hacked To Death By 6 Men On Bikes In Chennai Video: UP Principal Forcibly Removed From Office, Her Replacement Watches "He Told Me He Won't Die Ordinary Death": Captain Angshuman Singh's Widow New UK PM Keir Starmer Changed Labour Party's Stance On Kashmir Message to Opposition: If You Want To Be Heard, Listen Too Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman To Present Modi 3.0 Budget On July 23 Stage Set For Grand Rath Yatra Of Lord Jagannath In Puri Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.