n a horrifying accident on Anna Salai early on Thursday morning, a motorcyclist was killed when he was run over by a high-end SUV, 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 was due to drunk driving. The police said that two Erode-based businessmen, one of whom was the driver, were in the car and have been arrested in connection with the case. Both of them were drunk.
The body of victim, identified as I. Kevin Raj (25), was thrown several feet away and got trapped in iron roads at a Metro Rail site. The body was found dangling on the rods.
According to police, the incident happened around 3.40 a.m. on Thursday.
“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,” 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 examination.
“The occupants of the car were identified as Mohammad Safi (48), the driver, and Mohammad Farook (39). They are leather businessmen. 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 officer 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.
