Police detained an autorickshaw driver who drove his vehicle in a rash manner, injured pedestrians and damaged vehicles in Aminjikarai on Tuesday morning..
According to police, Jagadeesh (43), the autorickshaw driver was ‘fully drunk’ around 9.30 a.m. and was riding his vehicle in a haphazard manner. “Traffic police on duty were informed that he had knocked down some motorbikes and pedestrians, including women,” a constable in the area said.
Police spotted the vehicle near the Aminjikarai junction and upon seeing the cops on his tail, Jagadeesh began driving fast towards Thiru Vi Ka Park.
“On the way, he hit some two-wheelers coming in the opposite direction. This included people who were taking their children to school,” he added.
The driver entered Bharati Nagar in Aminjikarai. There were bikes parked on both the sides in the narrow street. “The autorickshaw rammed the bikes. He was forced to stop finally when he reached a dead end,” said the officer.
The police picked him up in Bharati Nagar, and took him to the Anna Nagar Traffic police station.
“Some motorists, who were injured, had also chased him. One of them said that the driver had first hit a couple on a two-wheeler in Kilpauk and started speeding when the victims began chasing him,” according to the constable. The auto was impounded.
Tuesday morning’s incident is by no means a rare one. Traffic police sources said as of October 31, that they have nabbed a total of 51,277 motorists for drunk driving this year. “Out of this 10,269 are car drivers, 34, 926 are two wheeler riders and the rest are autorickshaw drivers and other motorists,” said R. Dinakaran, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic- South).
Out of this, the licences of 2,252 car drivers and 4,944 two wheeler riders have been cancelled. “We have booked 46 persons under section 304 (ii) (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the IPC. We are taking stern action against all those who drive under the influence as they should be aware they can endanger their life and that of others’ too,” Mr. Dinakaran added.
