A 22-year-old car showroom employee, identified as N Vimal Raj from Kovaipudur near Coimbatore, was tragically charred to death in a horrific accident late Wednesday night. The incident unfolded when the vehicle, which the group had taken for a drive after attending a showroom event at Ettimadai, violently collided with steel pipes stacked along the roadside for an underground natural gas project by GAIL. Vimal Raj, seated in the front passenger position, became trapped as flames rapidly consumed the car, while his two colleagues managed to escape.

The driver, 23-year-old Akash, and rear passenger Karthi alias Murali, aged 24—all employees at a dealership near Saibaba Colony—had reportedly consumed alcohol following the event. Preliminary police investigations indicate that the trio was inebriated, contributing to the chain of events that led to the fatal crash. After finishing their duties, they embarked on a joyride that turned deadly within hours.

The sequence began around 7:30 pm when Akash lost control at Ettimadai junction, striking a motorcycle. As bystanders gathered and attempted to confront them, the group sped away in panic, accelerating toward Thirumalaiyampalayam Road. Driving at high speed, Akash veered off course, causing the car to slam into the stacked steel pipes. The forceful impact propelled the pipes into the driver's cabin, severely damaging the engine and igniting a spark that quickly escalated into an intense inferno.

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Witnesses described scenes of chaos as flames engulfed the vehicle almost immediately. Akash and Murali sustained minor injuries and escaped the wreckage, but Vimal Raj was pinned beneath one of the protruding pipes, unable to free himself. Despite desperate efforts from onlookers, the fire spread too rapidly, trapping him inside and leading to his gruesome death by burning.

Emergency services, including fire and rescue personnel alerted by passersby, arrived promptly to extinguish the blaze and recover Vimal Raj's charred remains. The two survivors were rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention and observation. KG Chavadi police have registered a case, launching a thorough probe into factors such as drunk driving, reckless fleeing from the initial collision, and potential road safety issues related to the placement of construction materials. Authorities emphasize that intoxication played a significant role, underscoring the dangers of impaired driving in this preventable tragedy.

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