CHENNAI: A 40-year-old woman who was sleeping on a pavement for want of fresh air was run over by a lorry at Sathyamoorthy Nagar, Vyasarpadi, on Saturday.
Police said Rathnakumar(32) of Chinna Maathur reportedly nodded off while driving the tipper lorry, which led to the accident.
Anjalai (40), her husband Kuppan, and her son Vadivel, all residents of an apartment in 55th Block in Slum Clearance Board, chose to sleep on the pavement in front of their residence since the weather was humid. All of them were asleep when the accident occurred.
Rathnakumar, while passing through Sathyamoorthy Nagar, lost control of the vehicle which ran amok and got onto the kerb where the Slum Clearance Board Apartment dwellers were sleeping. The lorry came to a halt after ramming into a tree on the pavement.
Anjalai, who was caught under the wheels, and her husband and son were rushed to Government Stanley Hospital where doctors declared Anjalai brought dead while her family members were admitted.
The brother of the deceased, Philip, his wife Valli, daughter Sandhya and granddaughter Vinodhini had a miraculous escape because the tree absorbed the impact of the accident.
Speaking to reporters, Philip said, “We used to sleep on the pavement since the weather is humid. We see quite a lot of sand lorries plying by this route. But, I never expected my sister dying in front of my eyes,” he added.