CHENNAI: Before the fatal accident, the duo, V Vikas and Charan Kumar, in the Porsche car, which killed an auto driver and injured eight more, were partying at a star hotel at Nungambakkam on Sunday night to celebrate the victory of Tuti Patriots in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) tournament. Vikas’ brother is believed to be a player in the team.
On their way home Vikas, a racer who recently won an MRF Formula title, was driving the car at very high speed under the influence of alcohol which led to the accident, police said.
“After the party they were proceeding along Cathedral Road when the driver allegedly lost control and rammed into the the autorickshaws parked opposite Dr Agarwal’s Eye hospital,” said a police officer.
“The first autorickshaw in which G Arumugam was sleeping was crushed completely. This is just a few meters away from the Chief Minister’s house. And every weekend we can spot youngsters speeding in their luxury cars on this stretch. Yet, no action has been taken to curb such racing,” said an injured auto rickshaw driver.
The impact of the accident was huge as three autorickshaws were mangled and the luxury sports car too was wrecked.
The deceased auto driver, Arumugam, was from Agoor Village near Tiruttani and only recently he had lost his wife and elder daughter. Both were said to have committed suicide over family issues. Police said Arumugam is survived by his seven-year-old daughter who lives in Tiruttani. “My son-in-law used to come home once in three days to visit his daughter. In the last five months, she has lost her parents and her sister which is depressing,” said Moorthy, Arumugam’s father-in-law.
Two of the critically injured auto drivers were referred to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital and the other drivers were admitted at Government Royapettah Hospital. A case has been registered and Adyar Traffic Police have booked the duo under section 304 (IPC) culpable homicide not amounting to murder, 308 (attempt to culpable homicide), 109 (Punishment of abetment if the act abetted is committed in consequence), 114 (Abettor present when offence is committed). Both Vikas and Charan Kumar were remanded in judicial custody by a magistrate later in the evening.