DMK Rajya Sabha MP NR Elango’s son Rakesh passed away in a car accident in the early hours of Thursday. (March 10) 22-year-old Rakesh was on his way to Puducherry with a friend and was travelling on the East Coast Road (ECR) from Chennai when his car crashed into a divider at Keelputhupet near Kottakuppam.

Rakesh’s injured friend has been admitted to a private hospital for treatment. The incident took place near Puthuvai in Villupuram district. Police are investigating the matter. According to police, Rakesh and his friend were on their way to Puducherry when the vehicle they were travelling in reportedly lost control and hit the divider and the vehicle toppled. Rakesh died on the spot and his friend was seriously injured.

Local people reached the spot along with fire and rescue personnel and cut open the vehicle to pull out the body. Rakesh’s friend has been admitted to the Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) at Kangachettikulam near Puducherry.

In August last year, seven people including the son of Hosur DMK MLA Prakaash Y were killed in a car accident in Bengaluru when a speeding Audi Q3 lost control. They were all aged between 20 to 30 and were staying in paying guest accommodations in the city. The police had then told TNM that the group was driving around the city and that there were three people sitting in front and four in the backseat. The vehicle was mangled in the crash.