Two boys, riding a motorcycle, were fatally knocked down by a police van in Ayanavaram here on Sunday afternoon, triggering violent protests from local residents.
The victims were not wearing helmets.
Quite ironically, one of the boys, S. Ramkumar (15) aspired to be a police officer, according to relatives.
Ramkumar lived with his mother S. Kavitha, who works at the Amma Unavagam in Thiru.Vi.Ka Nagar, in a one-room shanty on Egangipuram Main Road.
The other victim D. Solomon, also 15 years old, was the son of David, an auto driver.
He and Solomon had gone to a playground in Pananthope Railway Colony to watch a football match. While they were returning, a police van, coming in the opposite direction, hit the motorcycle, killing Ramkumar on the spot.
“The front wheels of the police van ran over him,” said Sathish Kumar, a resident.
“We rushed to their help. Ramkumar was dead,” he said. Solomon was initially rushed to Kilpauk Medical College Hospital and later referred to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, where he succumbed.
Protest turns violent
Angered by the incident, hundreds of residents of Ayanavaram took to the streets and resorted to road blockade, disrupting traffic for hours. “What hurt us the most was that there were 10 policemen in the van, and none came forward to help the boys. What if it was the other way round,” questioned an agitated R. Murali.
Soon, a violent clash broke out between the police and residents.
A-55-year-old woman Vimala, who was waiting at the bus stand, was hit on the head when police lathi-charged the crowd. She was taken to a nearby clinic.
In retaliation, the protesters stoned the police van and attacked every police vehicle that passed by.
“The police van driver Elumalai has been arrested,” said an officer.
