Retired Air Force officer dies as boulder falls on moving car on Ooty Road

A retired Air Force officer died after a boulder that slid from the slope fell on a moving car on the ghat section of Mettupalayam-Udhagamandalam Road near Burliar on Wednesday (October 7, 2026).

The police said B. Krishnamoorthi (64), a retired Air Force officer and resident of Jagathala in Udhagamandalam, died in the accident.

According to the police, the accident took place around 9.20 a.m. when he was travelling from Udhagamandalam towards Coimbatore in a sedan, with his son Karthi at the wheel. His wife and two other female relatives were also in the car.

As the vehicle was proceeding about 500 metres downhill from Barliar, a boulder that slipped from the hillside fell on the car. Krishnamoorthi sustained serious injuries in the accident and was rushed to the Government Hospital, Mettupalayam. The duty doctor examined him and declared him dead on arrival, said the police.

A police officer said the wife of the deceased suffered a fracture on one of her arms. One of the female relatives suffered an injury on her head. They were admitted to a private hospital in Coimbatore for treatment. The Mettupalayam police are conducting further investigation on the accident.