CHENNAI: Two women who were riding pillion on a motorcycle died on the spot after their motorcycle brushed against an MTC bus and another two-wheeler and were run over at Nandanam on Tuesday morning.
The deceased were identified as G Nagalakshmi (23) of Munikudali in East Godavari and K Bhavani (23) of Chagallu, West Godavari. They were working as software employees in a private company at Egmore, police said. The injured was identified as Siva, also a native of West Godavari, who was riding the bike.
“The women were staying at a women’s hostel at Velachery. Their colleague Siva was staying in a room at Madipakkam. On Tuesday morning, the trio had planned to go to office together and Siva had told them that he will pick them up from the hostel.” Around 8.30 am, the trio were near Nandanam Arts college. Siva was riding the bike wearing a helmet. The women were not wearing helmet, a police officer said.
In the CCTV footage that made the rounds on social media, Siva was seen emerging from behind the bus going from Tambaram to Broadway. Another motorist was going by the side of bus. Siva while trying to overtake the bus brushed against it and the other two-wheeler.
The three fell and the two women were run over by the bus. The other motorcyclist also fell. Siva who was wearing a helmet escaped with minor injuries and was rushed to Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital while the bodies of two women were sent to Royapettah Government hospital for post-mortem.
Guindy traffic investigation police registered a case and arrested the bus driver Gunasekaran. Not wearing helmets and careless driving accounted for 98 per cent of road accidents in the city in 2018. Despite creation of awareness on the need to wear helmet and to avoid rash driving, of the 792 people who died in two-wheeler accidents, only 23 were wearing helmets, according to traffic police data.
Violation of rules
Despite creation of awareness on the need to wear helmet and to avoid rash driving, of the 792 people who died in two-wheeler accidents, only 23 were wearing helmets, according to Chennai traffic police data