CHENNAI: In a shocking incident, a 74-year-old man was allegedly assaulted and killed by a fellow passenger inside a Vadapalani-bound MTC bus on Sunday noon, following an argument. Police suspect that the accused was under the influence of ganja at the time of the incident.
According to police sources, the deceased, identified as Chandrasekaran of Chennai, boarded the route 70-G bus, plying between Guduvancheri and Vadapalani, at the Tambaram MEPZ bus stop while the accused, Amarnath (25) of Villupuram, got on at Tambaram. Amarnath proceeded to look at the LED display on the bus and asked Chandrasekaran, who was sitting nearby, to read out what was written on it.
“Chandrasekaran was reluctant to engage with Amarnath and asked him to approach the conductor,” said a police source. This resulted in a heated argument between them inside the moving bus. The conductor intervened and asked Chandrasekaran to shift to another seat in the front of the bus. As he got up to move, another round of arguments erupted ending in Amarnath strangling Chandrasekaran before assaulting him in the face and chest. Chandrasekaran collapsed onto the floor of the bus,” a police officer said.
The driver halted the bus and co-passengers rushed Chandrasekaran to a nearby hospital in an auto but he was declared dead on arrival.
Meanwhile, Amarnath, who allegedly tried to escape, was beaten up by other passengers and handed over to the Chromepet police. He has been arrested and booked for murder. Amarnath, a mason, had moved to Chennai for work and was residing in Tambaram, sources added.