VELLORE: Traffic came to a standstill for nearly 30 minutes along the National Highway- 46 near Vellore on Wednesday morning, following a road-roko staged by the residents of Alamelumangapuram after a speeding lorry mowed down two motorists.
The agitated residents of the area squatted on the National Highway demanding appropriate action to prevent such road accidents. The agitation hit the traffic flow on the busy National Highway connecting Bangalore and Chennai. Vehicles were stranded for nearly 2 kilometre on either side.
The protest started after Kanniyappan (64), a retired village administrative officer(VAO) and M Baby (47) were mowed down on the spot by a speeding lorry that was carrying drinking water.
Kanniyappan, was returning from Sampanginallur on his bike, with Baby as pillion, said the police. When they were about to turn near Alamelumangapuram, they were hit by the speeding lorry. Baby was killed on the spot while the retired VAO succumbed to injuries at the nearby hospital.
The local residents claimed that frequent accidents involving water tankers had been taking place in the vicinity.
They also said that on an average 50 water lorries were being operated from Sampanginallur village to various parts of Vellore city.
The drivers of the vehicles were driving rashly and in a negligent manner resulting in several accidents.
They also demanded the officials to take suitable action, to prevent such accidents and ensure the safety of road-users.
Officials from the revenue and police department rushed to the spot and pacified the agitators, promising them suitable action to end such accidents. Following the assurance, they withdrew the protest. It took nearly 40 minutes to restore the traffic along the stretch.
The Sathuvachari police registered a case in connection and launched a search for the lorry driver.
The bodies of the deceased were sent to the Government Vellore Medical College and Hospital for post-mortem.