Chennai Paediatrician killed, 17 injured in bus collision

Chennai: In a tragic road accident, a paediatrician posted at Chengalpattu Government Medical College Hospital (GMCH) lost his life, while 17 others, including another doctor, sustained serious injuries after a government-run bus lost control and rammed into another bus as well as the two doctors who were walking near the road.

The two doctors were walking towards Chengalpattu GMCH for their duties when the bus hit them and then crashed into a private bus in front. While bystanders and passengers were also injured, one of the doctors succumbed to the accident due to the severe impact.

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The deceased has been identified as Dr. S. Manikumar, a paediatrician at Chengalpattu GMCH. The injured doctor, Dr. Praveen Kumar, from the same hospital, suffered multiple fractures and is currently stable after treatment. Other injured passengers have been admitted to the intensive care unit at Chengalpattu GMCH.

As per DT Next media report, the incident took place around 8:30 am when the bus, reportedly coming from Kalpakkam and heading towards the three-road junction near Rathinam Kinaru in Chengalpattu, allegedly suffered a brake failure, leading to the doctor’s death and injuring 17 others.

Explaining the incident, a police officer told TNIE, “The two doctors had just arrived from Chromepet by train and were walking to work when the bus veered off the road and hit them. It then rammed into a private bus coming from the opposite direction. The government bus allegedly lost control, running through pedestrians before colliding head-on with the private bus. Seventeen people, including passengers and bystanders, are undergoing treatment at Chengalpattu GH with minor injuries, while one passenger has already been discharged,” the police said.

Following the accident, Health Minister Ma Subramanian paid floral tribute to Dr Manikumar at the hospital and visited Dr Praveen Kumar and other injured patients. He expressed deep sorrow over Dr. Manikumar’s demise, pointing out that the doctor was a regular commuter from Chromepet and would walk daily from Chengalpattu Railway Station to the hospital.

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