CHENNAI: An unidentified man, who was trying to escape from two drunk men, was killed after he was knocked down by an MTC bus on the Poonamallee High Road on Sunday afternoon.
Police said that around 2.50 pm, two men - M Devan, 30, and his friend Kamal Madurai Muthu - who were drunk, were allegedly harassing passersby for money to buy ‘HANS’, a banned tobacco product.
“The men intercepted the victim and demanded he buy them the product. When he refused, they began attacking him. In a bid to escape the victim began running and was knocked down by bus (15 B) plying from Broadway to Koyambedu,” said a police officer. He was dragged for more than 10 metres and his face got disfigured, added the officer.
Some passers-by informed the police who recovered the body and sent it to the Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital for an autopsy.
The incident was recorded by the CCTV, which showed the duo attacking the victim.
The MTC bus was driven by one K Easwaran (38) of Madurai.
“The victim was running from a small lane and did not notice the bus and when the driver noticed him and applied the brakes, the vehicle had already knocked him down,” said the officer.
Investigation revealed that the two men reside at Santhosh Nagar in Egmore and they have a pending case against them for their alleged involvement in setting ablaze a police officer’s car during jallikattu’s protest in 2017.
The present case has been transferred from the Anna Square traffic investigation wing to the Egmore police.