Chennai, May 23 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa condoled the death of her ministerial colleague N. Mariyam Pichai, who was killed in a road accident near Tiruchirapalli Monday.

 
 She said Pichai was a true party loyalist and his death was a major loss. Jayalalithaa also expressed her heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. Pichai is survived by his wife and three children.
 
 A long-time member of AIADMK, Pichai defeated the DMK’s strongman K.N. Nehru in the recent assembly elections and was sworn in as minister for environment and pollution control and minorities welfare.
 
 He was travelling to Chennai, to be sworn in as member of the state assembly later in the day.
 
 According to state government officials, Pichai was sitting next to his driver in the car which hit a truck from behind while trying to overtake it around 7 a.m. near Tiruchirapalli, about 330 km from here.
 
 Minister for Sports and Youth Welfare N.R. Sivapathi, who was travelling in another vehicle behind Pichai's car, informed officials about the accident.
 
 Officials told IANS that seven people were travelling in Pichai's car; the others suffered minor injuries.