TIRUCHY: A road accident during the early hours of New Year’s Day claimed the life of a 54-year-old catering contractor on the Melapudur underpass in Tiruchy.
According to the police, a private bus, speeding in the wrong direction, struck Ponmalai resident Niko Arun Thomas’s two-wheeler, killing him instantly. Two private buses were attempting to overtake each other when one of them caused the fatal accident, they added. Arun was returning home from Gandhi Market around 5 am.
The North Traffic investigation wing police sent Arun’s body to MGMGH for autopsy. The bus driver was arrested and the vehicle was seized. On the incident, road safety activist K Ramachandran said, “Private buses compete aggressively to pick up passengers, especially during peak hours, putting pedestrians and other road users at risk.”
Key hotspots for dangerous driving include the stretch between the post office and Melapudur and the narrow route from Convent Road to Beemanagar bus stand.
Milla Soundarrajan, a resident of Marsingpet, said that he lost control of his two-wheeler and fell on the road due to a speeding private bus. P Ayyarapan, a member of the district road safety committee, said in 2024 alone there were at least two incidents every month involving reckless driving of private buses.
“Police officials must seriously monitor CCTV visuals and act on any violations. RTO officials should impose heavy fines,” he added.
Meanwhile, Tiruchy town bus owners cited various factors behind such incidents, including poor road conditions and heavy traffic. Dharmaraj, secretary of the Tiruchy Town Bus Owner Association, stated strict rules have reduced negligence by bus crew. When contacted, a senior traffic police official said additional personnel are deployed during peak hours to monitor traffic violations. The official also said that CCTV visuals are being actively monitored, with plans to boost surveillance.