CHENNAI: In a case of road rage coupled with the menace of racing, a seven-member gang on a rampage in Velachery smashed windscreens of two cars besides injuring two women, including a class XI student, on Monday night.
According to eyewitnesses, Chella aka Selvakumar (19) and Guru (22), residents of Kamarajar street, Mathiyalagan Nagar, were racing through Neduncheliyan street in Nehru Nagar in Velachery at around 8.30 pm. When reprimanded by locals, the duo threatened the denizens of dire consequences and to return with their friends to teach them a lesson.
At around 10.30 pm, a gang went on a rampage damaging two cars, a Hyundai Eon bearing registration no TN 22 CM 0536 and Tata Indica with the registration no TN 07 BQ 6134 and two bikes parked in that street. They also hit Sudha (17), class XI student, in her leg and pushed Selvi (46), down, before fleeing from the scene.
Narrating her harrowing experience to Express, Thilagavathi, a resident of Neduncheliyan street, said they chided the youth not to ride in a rash manner since kids were playing around the street.
“They returned after two hours with cricket bats and sticks and went on a rampage. Hearing the noise we came out and found the two injured”, she said. “We rushed the injured to a private hospital in the neighbourhood”, she added.
Hospital sources said the two suffered only minor injuries and were discharged after treatment. Selvi had suffered multiple fractures in her attempt to stop the gang from damaging the vehicles.
“We have identified six youth including Manikandan (19), II year B.E student, Balaji (19), another Manikandan (19), Vijayakumar, (20), Selvakumar and Guru. We have arrested them as well. Except the student, the others were not doing anything useful. Some of them survive on the money they get from their friends who are well off”, said a senior police official privy to the investigation.
“Its not more of racing, but establishing their supremacy over the area. It got escalated to a nasty level after the youth took it personally”, the official added.