Two people were killed and two others suffered severe burn injuries after two motorcycles collided head-on and caught fire near Nagampatti toll plaza in Krishnagiri district on Monday morning, according to Mathur police. The crash occurred around 7.45am in front of Prabhu Hotel, within the limits of Mathur police station in the Uthangarai subdivision.
Police said one motorcycle was travelling from Krishnagiri towards Tiruvannamalai when it collided with another motorcycle approaching from the opposite direction. The impact caused the fuel tank of one vehicle to explode, after which the flames spread rapidly to both motorcycles and their riders.
Two people died at the scene after being charred in the fire, police said. Their identities had not been established at the time of the report. The bodies were recovered by Mathur police and sent to Krishnagiri Government Medical College and Hospital for post-mortem examination.
Two other people sustained severe burn injuries in the crash. Velu, 27, son of Sadasivam, was travelling on one of the motorcycles and is receiving treatment at Mathur Government Hospital. Thirupathi, 30, son of Ramesh and a resident of Dharmapuri, was given first aid at the same hospital before being referred to Krishnagiri Government Medical College and Hospital for further treatment.
The collision took place close to a toll plaza on the route between Krishnagiri and Tiruvannamalai, bringing emergency services and police to a busy road environment where vehicles pass through a controlled toll point. The supplied police account did not establish what caused the motorcycles to move into the path of each other, and investigators are examining the circumstances of the crash.
Police identified one of the motorcycles as a Bajaj vehicle bearing registration number TN 09 F 4626. The second motorcycle was completely gutted in the fire, making its registration number impossible to determine immediately.
Mathur police have registered a case and begun an investigation. The post-mortem examination and efforts to identify the two deceased people are among the immediate steps following the crash. Further details about the cause of the collision and the identities of those killed are expected as the investigation progresses.
