Two footboard travellers fall to death

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, NOV. 2. A school student travelling on the footboard of an MTC bus was killed when he slipped and fell from a height of about 15 feet at the mini-flyover in Egmore today.

Police identified the victim as Vijay Michael (17), a student of Don Bosco School Higher Secondary School in Egmore. A casual labourer, Nasher Khan, who was also travelling on the footboard of the bus, suffered injuries when he fell along with Vijay. He later died in the Government General Hospital where he was admitted with serious injuries.

According to police, Vijay and Khan were travelling on the footboard of the bus when the vehicle was proceeding on the mini- flyover.

The vehicle hit the parapet wall and the two victims lost their balance and fell down from the fly over.

The incident has also turned the spotlight on overcrowding in buses especially during peak hours. As buses are crowded, commuters are forced to travel on the footboard. The MTC's plea for augmentation of the fleet with more buses has been virtually turned down by the government, which is willing only to replace buses, say official sources.

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