Speeding tanker mows down infant in Chennai's Villivakkam

The house is situated on Third Street, North Jagannatha Nagar at Rajamangalam is a residential area and the family stays in a one- bedroom house.
For representational purposes
For representational purposes

CHENNAI: A year-and-a-half boy who was playing in front of his house in Villivakkam was fatally knocked down by a water tanker on Monday. Police said the vehicle driver was under influence of alcohol at the time of accident.

“I was standing at the doorstep and Mohit was playing on the road very close to the house. In a matter of seconds the speeding lorry knocked my son down crushing him to death,” said Mahalakshmi, victim’s mother, who is seven months pregnant with her second child, while waiting at the mortuary of Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital.

She said “I was constantly keeping a watch on Mohit and this tanker was speeding on the road. It was only after the residents nabbed him they found the driver to be drunk.”

The house is situated on Third Street, North Jagannatha Nagar at Rajamangalam is a residential area and the family stays in a one- bedroom house.

“Mohit, was very smart for his age and would already try to talk to people. I last saw him playing on the street around 7 pm. I just then went in to start cooking dinner when I heard screams,” said a victim’s neighbour.

There were not many people on the road when the tragedy occurred. But the accident was recorded in CCTV cameras installed in the building. Hearing screams, the neighbours rushed to the child’s rescue and took him to the hospital where he was declared ‘brought dead’. Meanwhile, the residents nabbed the driver Manikandan and handed him over to police. Later, the body was transferred to KMC Hospital. Mahalakshmi said that tanker lorries normally supply water to the nearby apartments.

“I have always ensured that I stay around Mohit when he is playing on the road, but this happened in seconds even before I could realise it,” she said.

Mohit’s father Kalaivannan sells peanuts while his mother is a homemaker. Thirumangalam traffic investigation unit registered a case and arrested Manikandan, 25, of Uthiramerur. Police confirmed that he  was under influence of alcohol when the accident occurred.

“He had supplied water to an apartment in North Jaganathan Street and was returning to the shed when he knocked down the child,” said a police officer.

During the investigation, Manikandan is said to have told police that as soon as he saw the boy running, he lost control and knocked him down.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com