Three students crushed to death by tanker

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, JUNE 18. Three school boys travelling on a cycle were killed by a water tanker at Periyar Pathai at Kodambakkam today turning the spotlight on the continuing fatalities involving these vehicles on city roads.

The driver abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene after the accident. As news spread about the incident irate residents smashed the windscreens of the vehicle. The spot was strewn with glass pieces and blood.

Police identified the victims as Parmeshwaran (13), Karthik (14) and Poun Kumar (14) all from Padmanabha Nagar. The victims, students of MMDA Government Higher Secondary School were going to get the SSLC results of Karthik when the accident occurred. The bodies were sent to the Kilpauk Medical College Hospital (KMC) for postmortem.

According to eyewitnesses, the three were travelling on a cycle along the narrow stretch when they were hit by the tanker from behind. The boys were crushed to death beneath the tyres.

Mr.Rajesh, brother of Parmeshwaran, one of the victims who was weeping uncontrollably at the KMC said ``In a cruel twist of fate, my brother did not go to the school as he was not well. Karthik and Poun Kumar, came home this morning and asked him to accompany them to check the results, as Parmeshwaran has a cycle. All of them went out on the cycle and were killed''.

There were moving scenes near the mortuary at KMC when the bodies were brought for postmortem as a large number of relatives had gathered.

The problem posed by tanker lorries to other motorists has reached alarming heights during recent times. The authorities are also facing a piquant situation as these lorries are the main source of supply for tackling the water crisis in the city.

Over 5,000 tanker lorries do approximately 10 trips everyday to different parts of the city. It is alleged that to meet the demand, vehicles which are in poor condition with inexperienced and drivers without licence are pressed into service.

During the last couple of months as many as six persons have been killed by these tanker lorries. While an aged couple was knocked down at Taramani Road on May 14, a housewife and her three-year- old son were killed at Arya Gowda Road and Brindavan Street Extension in April.

Tanker lorries were involved in fatal accidents at Madley Road and in Nungambakkam. While in the former accident a woman was killed, in the other a woman was fatally knocked down from her two-wheeler when she was returning after dropping her son at school.

Despite the Metrowater officials giving repeated warnings, things are becoming worse.

An official pointed out that blaming the drivers alone was not proper. The fault could also be with the victim or poor road conditions. At several intersections medians with no proper warnings pose a threat to motorists.

For instance, not a single day passes without a motorist hitting the damaged median opposite Kalaivanar Arangam which has no warning and is practically invisible during the night hours. Despite the problem being brought to the notice of senior officials no steps have been taken for installing any warning boards.

The police personnel should ensure discipline among the tanker drivers. Though police have claimed credit for introduction of high-tech gadets `interceptor vehicles', at the ground level, safety on the road remains elusive.

Slippers strewn on the road tell tale of the death of three school students on Periyar Pathai, Kodambakkam on Monday.

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Section  : Southern States
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