SALEM: Seven Sabarimala- bound pilgrims died and four others suffered injuries when a van in which they were travelling met with an accident at Thoppur on the Salem- Dharmapuri border in the wee hours of Monday.Police sources said the pilgrims had started their journey on Sunday from Sathalur village at Nathella Mandal in Guntur district in Andhra Pradesh.When the van driver was about to take a right turn to enter the Mecheri Road at Thoppur around 1.40 a.m., a Bangalore-bound private omnibus from Coimbatore rammed into it.Later it was found that the omnibus was overspeeding, almost exceeding 100 kmph. In the impact, the van was thrown into a pit located almost 50 m away.Seven occupants of the van died on the spot.Two others, including van driver AR Das (35), suffered injuries and were admitted in a private hospital in Salem. Two passengers of the omnibus were admitted to the Dharmapuri General Hospital with injuries.On information, Salem Collector K Maharabushanam and Superintendent of Police Muthusamy rushed to the spot.Relatives of the victims were informed after getting the details from their mobile phones and from the accident survivors.The police could not identify the deceased till afternoon as the relatives were yet to arrive. Later it was found that all the victims, except for one belonged to Sathalur.
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