Chennai, June 24 (IANS) A family’s moments of happiness turned into heartbreak when a head-on collision involving a drunk driver claimed the lives of a seven-months pregnant woman, her unborn baby and her father near Chennai early on Tuesday morning.

The accident occurred on the Maduravoyal-Tambaram Bypass near Anakaputhur. The deceased have been identified as Deepika (23), her unborn baby and her father Padmanabhan (60), both natives of Madurai district.

Deepika had been living in Kotturpuram, Chennai, with her husband for the past two years.

The family had gathered in the city for Deepika’s traditional baby shower just days earlier. Following the ceremony, Deepika’s parents had planned to take her back to Madurai for her upcoming delivery.

On Monday evening, they attended the birthday party of a relative’s child in Chennai and stayed overnight. The family set out for Madurai early on Tuesday morning by car.

Around dawn, as their vehicle proceeded along the Maduravoyal Bypass, tragedy struck. A car exiting a nearby petrol station reportedly entered the wrong lane at high speed and collided head-on with their vehicle.

The impact was devastating, killing Deepika and Padmanabhan instantly. Deepika, who was in her final trimester, could not be revived and the unborn baby died in the mother’s womb.

Deepika’s mother, who was also in the car, sustained critical head injuries and was rushed to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai.

The driver of their car was injured and is undergoing treatment at the Chromepet Government Hospital.

The Chromepet Traffic Investigation Police were quick to reach the scene and launched an enquiry.

Initial findings revealed that the driver of the oncoming vehicle, identified as Manikandan, was under the influence of alcohol. He had been speeding and driving against the flow of traffic.

Manikandan was arrested at the scene, and a case has been registered under relevant Sections of the Indian Penal Code, including those pertaining to rash and negligent driving causing death.

Police confirmed that his reckless actions led directly to the fatal crash.

The bodies of Deepika and Padmanabhan were sent to the Chromepet Government Hospital for autopsy.

The tragic accident has triggered widespread outrage, with calls for stricter enforcement of laws against drunk driving and reckless road behaviour.

—IANS

aal/rad