A 20-year-old woman was killed and at least 18 others were injured after a van carrying pilgrims overturned near Avadi in Chennai early on Tuesday, police said.
Police sources said 26 pilgrims—22 men and four women—from Kandamangalam village and nearby areas in Villupuram district had set out in a van to visit the Siruvapuri Murugan Temple near Periyapalayam.
The crash occurred around 6am on the Minjur–Vandalur Bypass Road near Vellanur and Kattur Estate. Investigators said the driver, identified as Mohan, lost control, after which the vehicle hit a roadside barrier wall and toppled into a ditch.
Revathi, 20, died on the spot. Preliminary inquiries indicate the driver may have been drowsy at the time of the accident.
Police said the impact was severe, with the van’s front wheel coming off and the front portion badly damaged. The injured were rescued and taken to Tiruvallur Government Hospital for treatment, and a case has been registered.
