The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : 2 youths run over by water tanker near Koyambedu

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Apr 29, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

2 youths run over by water tanker near Koyambedu

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, APRIL 28. Two youths were killed on the spot as they were run over by a water tanker on the Inner Ring Road near Koyambedu today.

G. Krishnakumar (24) and B. Nagaraj (28) were going to Villivakkam on a motorcycle, when the tanker hit the two-wheeler. The two were thrown off their vehicle, fell on the road and run over by the tanker. The driver, Poongavanam, was arrested. The traffic police said the accident was due to over speeding and rash driving by the driver.

The death of the two youths, running their own firms at SIDCO Nagar at Villivakkam, is the latest in a series of accidents involving water tankers on city roads.

On April 7, a civic worker was killed on the spot after he was knocked down by a water tanker near the Vadapalani bus depot.

On January 13, a South Korean national was run over by a water tanker in the United India Colony at Kodambakkam. And two months later, a 35-year-old cyclist was killed at Medavakkam, on the outskirts of the city, after a water tanker knocked him down.

Since January, 16 persons have been killed and 50 persons injured in accidents involving water tankers. Six people were killed during the same period last year. Incidentally, 39 persons had lost their lives in accidents involving water tankers in 2003. The police said the increase in the number of people getting killed in accidents involving water tankers was due to rise in growth of vehicles. With the water scarcity worsening by the day, more and more residents are forced to depend on water tankers as groundwater in many places has completely dried up. They rely on the services of operators who bring water from Kunrathur, Porur and Poonamallee. About 3,000 tankers, including those taken on contract by Metrowater, are plying in the city every day.

Though the city police initiated training for drivers of the water tankers, rash and negligent driving continues on city roads. The police said so far, 1,310 drivers, including 578 belonging to Metrowater, had been trained.

2 killed

Two persons, who sustained injuries in two road accidents, were declared `brought dead' on arrival at the Government General Hospital this evening.

Thangadurai was injured on April 18 when he was knocked down from his two-wheeler by an autorickshaw at Ambattur. He was referred to the GH by a private hospital. In the second accident, a two-wheeler rider was hit by a lorry at Thirumangalam. He is yet to be identified, according to hospital sources.

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