CHENNAI: In a freak accident, a private bus went up in flames after colliding with a motorbike near Kancheepuram on the Chennai-Bangalore highway on Friday.
Police said Thanikachalam, 50, a resident of Aariyaperumbakkam, was riding his motorcycle towards Kancheepuram early in the morning when the bus hit the bike. While Thanikachalam was thrown off, the bike got struck under the wheels and was dragged for a few meters. Eyewitnesses told police that this caused sparks and soon a fire engulfed the bus. “There were no passengers in the bus and the driver escaped from the spot,” said a police officer. Thanikachalam is undergoing treatment in a hospital.
Sandbags were found placed inside the bus, believed to belong to a commercial vehicle manufacturer situated in the vicinity. leading to suspicion that the company was testing it on road. Police are investigating whether there is any violation of rules in deploying the bus on a trial run.