PUDUCHERRY: A 54-year-old daily wage labourer was killed in a hit-and-run near the Puducherry border, and his body was dragged by a luxury car for over a kilometre.
The man was identified as Thiruvengadam of Bhoomiyarpalayam near Auroville. His body was left on the road for at least two hours as Auroville police of Villupuram district in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry police of the Union Territory argued over jurisdiction.
Police said Thiruvengadam was hit in front of the Pondicherry University Gate 2 which comes within Puducherry’s borders. His body was found on the side of the East Coast Road at Pillaichavady which falls within Tamil Nadu’s borders in Villupuram district.
Puducherry north traffic police learnt of the accident early Sunday morning. A speeding luxury car plying towards Puducherry town is alleged to have hit the man and driven on. Unable to find the victim at the spot, the Pondy police started following the bloodstains on the road. Meanwhile, Auroville police learnt of a body lying on the side of the ECR. Both police teams came upon the body.As both TN and Puducherry police teams argued over jurisdiction, Thiruvengadam’s relatives reached the spot and became agitated on seeing the condition of the body.
Police suspect that the body had been stuck under the car and driver didn’t stop it after the accident as there were people at the nearby tea shops. It is believed the driver stopped the car at an isolated place, removed the body and escaped. Auroville police said Thiruvengadam would drink ale at a shop near the varsity gate, sleep there and go home the next morning.He was on his way home early Sunday morning when he was hit by the car. Puducherry North traffic police finally agreed to file the case and sent the body for autopsy. Police are checking CCTV footage to identify the car and its passengers.