CHENNAI: A 16-year-old class XII girl was crushed to death under the wheels of a container lorry on Ennore express highway on Wednesday night. The girl was riding pillion on a two-wheeler, and fell on the road after the bike hit a barricade placed around a manhole on the road. Both the rider, a 16-year-old boy who was her classmate, and the girl were thrown off the bike in the impact.
According to the Washermenpet Traffic Investigation Wing (TIW), the girl, a resident of Thangal in Tiruvottiyur, was a student of a government-aided school in Kaladipet.
Following the accident, the lorry driver allegedly abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene. The police launched a search for him and are examining CCTV footage from the area.
The incident sparked outrage among residents, who alleged barricades, construction debris and sand left on the road after civic works are creating a hazard for motorists. They demanded action against the officials and contractors responsible for the work.
“A case would be booked against the boy’s parents for allowing him to ride the motorcycle despite being underage,” a police officer told TNIE.