CHENNAI: A 48-year-old pillion rider was crushed to death near Kundrathur on Sunday morning when a water tanker ran over her after she fell off the bike driven by her husband. The man lost balance after his vehicle handle hit the tanker coming from opposite direction. The tanker driver who fled the spot was later arrested.
The Chromepet Traffic Investigation Wing (TIW) police identified the woman as Nagammal of Pallavaram. Her husband Chinayya was working in a private company there. The couple had visited a relative at Thirumudivakkam on Saturday.
They left for their house in Pallavaram early on Sunday. Around 5.30 am, on their way back home along Anakaputhur, Chinayya saw a cow sleeping on the road. To avoid hitting the cow, he took a sudden sharp turn, and the bike’s handle hit the tanker coming from opposite direction. He lost control and fell to the ground with his wife.
While Chinayya fell to his left, Nagammal fell to her right and came under the rear wheels of the tanker. Her head was severed, the police said. Chinayya escaped with minor injuries. Upon information, the Chromepet TIW police recovered Nagammal’s body and sent it to a government hospital for an autopsy.
A case was registered and a probe is on. Police said the driver, Balajee, was later arrested.