Two youth, who were fleeing on a motorcycle after robbing a scrap merchant, were killed in a road accident in the wee hours of Thursday. Their other accomplice, who was riding triples with them on the same bike, was injured in the mishap which occurred on the Porur-Maduravoyal bridge on the Bengaluru Highway.
Police said Dinesh alias Parthiban (23), Vasu (24) and Manoj Kumar (23), attempted to sell copper cables at a scrap shop run by Senthil on the service road at Kallikuppam near Ambattur around 3.15 am on Thursday. Senthil, who was in deep sleep, did not show interest and had asked them to come in the morning. However, the three, who were in an inebriated condition, assaulted Senthil and took away Rs 1,500 cash and a mobile phone from him.
Other shopkeepers on the stretch came to Senthil’s rescue and alerted the police control room about the incident. The information was passed on to the Ambattur Police, who rushed to the spot and inquired Senthil. Around the same time, a message was relayed on the wireless that a trio riding a two-wheeler had met with an accident on the Porur-Maduravoyal bridge.
Police sources said Dinesh, who was over-speeding, lost control while climbing down the bridge towards Madhavaram and crashed into the railing. He fell on to the service lane which was 70 feet below from the crash site around 3.30 am and died on the spot. His two accomplices were grievously injured.
The Madhavaram Traffic Wing moved Dinesh’s body and the injured to the Stanley Medical College Hospital. Vasu was later moved to the Dr Soundarapandian Bone and Joint Hospital, where he succumbed to injuries not responding to treatment at 4.40 pm. Manoj Kumar, according to hospital sources, is out of danger.
Though rumours were doing the rounds that the accident was caused when the police were in hot pursuit of the trio, Ambattur Police Inspector Bhaskaran denied it.
He, however, confirmed that the trio was involved in the robbery, which came to light following a complaint from Senthil.
“We will get more information only after getting the injured in our custody for interrogation,” he said.