CHENNAI: Two 19-year-old college students returning home for Deepavali were killed after the two-wheeler they were riding crashed into the parapet wall of the Sunguvarchatram flyover on the Chennai-Bengaluru National Highway in the early hours of Saturday. Police said they were not wearing a helmet at the time.
The deceased were identified as Prathap, a native of Kaniyambadi in Vellore, and his friend Rahul of Pappanchatram in Tiruvallur. Both were first-year college students in Chennai and had reportedly become friends through Instagram.
According to the police, the duo were travelling towards Vellore to visit Prathap’s home and Rahul was riding the bike. Rahul allegedly lost control while negotiating the flyover at a high speed. The motorcycle crashed into the parapet wall, throwing the youths on the Walajabad Road below.
Prathap suffered severe head injuries and died on the spot. Passersby rushed Rahul to the hospital, but he died on the way. Their bodies were sent to the Sriperumbudur Government Hospital for postmortem. Police have registered a case.
Meanwhile, the Greater Chennai Police has formed special teams to prevent bike racing and stunts on public roads. Personnel have also been deployed at key locations to monitor roads during the festival. Security has also been strengthened around firecracker shops, with police coordinating with the fire and rescue services and health departments to handle emergencies.