A 60-year-old shepherd and 40 of his sheep were killed by a van near Kodiveri in Tamil Nadu in the early hours of Tuesday.
The deceased has been identified as K Marudhachalam of Soolur in Coimbatore district.
The van was returning to Gobichettipalayam after dropping people in Coimbatore when the accident happened. There was moderate rain in the area. When the van neared Kodiveri crossroad at 5.45 am, more than 50 sheep suddenly entered the road. Before the driver could apply the brake, the van ran over them.
Passersby rushed Marudhachalam to the Gobichettipalayam government hospital but he was declared dead on arrival. Kadathur police registered a case and arrested the van driver, P Raja of Gobichettipalayam.