CHENNAI: A police constable driving a friend’s car ran over an elderly man sitting outside his house at Virugambakkam on Sunday evening, killing him on the spot.
A test found that the constable, Ranjith Kumar, 32, of Alwarthirunagar was not drunk at the time.
The Pondy Bazaar traffic investigation wing booked him for causing death due to negligence and of rash driving and riding on a public way.
Ranjith Kumar, who was attached to the crime wing at JJ Nagar police station, is currently the gunman of the north zone joint commissioner (traffic). On Sunday, he borrowed a friend’s Toyota Innova and with another friend, 27-year-old Manikandan, he set out to meet a friend. On Devi Karumariamman Koil Street in Virugumbakkam, he lost control of the vehicle when he suddenly swerved to avoid hitting a few children who had rushed out of a temple holding prasadam in their hands. He then crashed into Shankar, 67, who was seated outside his house eating prasadam.
Police said it was a narrow street and it was difficult for him to negotiate the stretch. Shankar, who fell down on the ground, died on the spot after sustaining severe head injuries.
Several residents of the area, who heard the noise, gathered at the spot and stopped Ranjith Kumar from proceeding further. They tried to bash him up when he told them that he was a policeman. The residents assumed the constable was under the influence of alcohol and alerted police.
A team of the Pondy Bazaar traffic investigation police arrived at the spot and the constable was subjected to a test to find out whether he was drunk. After it was revealed that he was not drunk, he was booked under relevant sections of the IPC and arrested.
A witness later told police that Shankar had come out of the temple just five minutes before the accident with the prasadam. Many in the area usually sat outside their houses in the evenings for some fresh air, he said.
