Three women devotees, sleeping on the roadside, were killed today and 19 injured when a stationary lorry ran over them after being hit from behind by a speeding lorry near Kottampatti here, police said.
The victims were part of a 55-member group of devotees enroute to Rameswaram from here in a bus. They had halted near Kottampatti to take a nap.
Some slept in the bus and the others on the side of the highway.
The driver of the sand laden speeding lorry lost control over his vehicle and it hit the paint-laden lorry parked behind the bus.
Under the impact of the collision, the paint-laden lorry moved forward and mowed down the three women. The injured pilgrims have been hospitalised.
