The Hindu : Student fatally hit by lorry

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, May 19, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu-Chennai

Student fatally hit by lorry

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI May 18. A Plus-Two student, who had just collected his examination results, was fatally hit by a lorry on Thiruvottiyur High Road on Friday.

Police identified the victim as Jagadeesan (17) of Ammaniamman Thottam in Tondiarpet. After having passed the Plus-Two examinations, he was on his way to inform his friends and relatives about his result. While going on a cycle, a lorry coming from the opposite direction on Tiruvottiyur High Road hit him fatally. He was rushed to the Stanley Medical College Hospital, where he was declared ``brought dead''. His body was transferred to the Government General Hospital mortuary.

The accident has evoked sharp criticism from various quarters about the pattern of traffic in the area. Questions are being raised on whether there should be a blanket ban on the movement of lorries within the city during the day.

At present, the traffic police have banned movement of lorries within the city only during peak hours.

When contacted, the Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), U.G. Sastry, said restriction of lorry movement during the day was under contemplation. ``Whenever there is an accident, we conduct a study on the place of occurrence, the vehicles involved and the time of accident. The follow-up actions have reduced the number of accidents considerably. We are considering restriction of lorry movement in the congested areas of the city,'' he added.

According to the G.O. issued in the year 2000, the Transport Commissioner is mandated to conduct an enquiry and report on the accident spots, together with remedial measures. However, this GO is being ignored by the Transport Department.

The total number of accidents till May 17 this year has had a reduction of 20 per cent compared to the corresponding period last year, police say. Last year, 2,023 accidents were recorded during the period, 245 of them fatal. But this year 1,497 accidents were recorded with 195 fatal ones, according to them.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

Stories in this Section

State Govt. seeks extension of deadline

Businessman's house burgled

Student fatally hit by lorry

A raw deal awaits cable TV subscribers?

ASI `discoveries' on display at Fort museum

Nursing candidates protest, demanding return of passports