A class XI student was run over by a Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) bus when he attempted to disembark from the moving vehicle in Perambur on Monday morning.
The victim, K. Karthik (16), was travelling on the footboard of the bus (7-G Kannadasan Nagar – Parrys) and alighted before it came to a halt at Perambur bus stand. He fell underneath the back wheels of the bus and died on the spot.
The body was sent to Government Stanley Hospital for a post-mortem examination. Anna Nagar traffic investigation police have registered a case.
According to senior traffic police officers, so far three people have died in footboard-related accidents involving MTC buses this year. Last year, this number was 15, they said.
“We have warned students repeatedly against travelling on the footboard. The frequency of bus services should also be increased,” said an officer. MTC bus drivers and conductors said they insisted passengers not travel on the footboard, but some people do not heed their warnings. “In fact, in some buses, we have pasted the news article about the death of students travelling by footboard last year. When we ask the students to get inside the bus they abuse us,” a conductor on bus route 29-C, said.
Just a week ago, a few students assaulted the bus driver of bus route 29-C in Raja Annamalaipuram when he warned them not to travel on the footboard.
