Motorist run over by speeding SUV in Chennai

In a hair-raising accident on Anna Salai in the early hours of Thursday, a motorcyclist was killed when he was run over a high-end SUV travelling, which was reportedly being driven at a speed of 140 kph.

According to the police, after ramming the motorcycle, the SUV hit a van, toppling it in the process, and then came to a halt.

The accident is said to be a case of drunk driving; the police said that two Erode-based businessmen, who were in the car, have been arrested in connection with the case. The police said both the businessmen were drunk and one of them was at the wheel of the SUV.

The body of victim, identified as I. Kevin Raj, 25, was thrown several feet away and got trapped on iron roads at a Metro Rail site. The body was found dangling on rods.

According to police, the incident happened around 3.40 a.m. on Thursday.

“The victim Kevin Raj, was a resident of Kasi Garden in Royapuram and is the second child of R. Irudayaraj, 57, and Irudayapushpam, 52. He was working at a hotel in Guindy and was returning home after work,” said a police officer.

When he was taking a turn near TVS company on Anna Salai, the SUV coming in the opposite direction hit his bike. The section of Anna Salai where the accident took place is a one-way.

“As the car was being driven at a great speed, it did not stop after hitting him, but hit a van that was coming behind the two-wheeler and stopped. The van driver sustained minor injuries. The air bags in the car came out and the two in the car were trapped inside,” said the officer.

Passersby informed the police and the Anna Square traffic investigation police reached the spot and sent the body to the Government Royapettah Hospital for post-mortem.

“The occupants of the car were identified as Mohammad Safi (48), who was at the wheel, and Mohammad Farook (39). They are leather businessmen from Erode and were drunk. They had come for a leather fair in the city,” the officer added.

Their breath was reeking of alcohol, and the police made them undergo a test, which confirmed that they had consumed liquor, the office said.

“They had had food from a hotel on Anna Salai and were heading in the wrong direction,” said the officer.

A case has been registered under section 304 (II) (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of IPC and the two have been remanded to judicial custody.

Kevin Raj, who finished his course in hotel management, was working in the hotel for the past three years.