A 45-year-old women pavement dweller died on Wednesday at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital after she was run over by a city police patrol SUV on Muthuswamy Salai, near Parry’s Corner, a day earlier.
The police said the driver of the vehicle, S. Mohan (25), a constable with the Law & Order wing of the Flower Bazaar police, had been arrested
The victim, B. Lakshmi (45), was making a living by selling flowers on the pavement of the road. On Tuesday, around 10 p.m., Lakshmi was sleeping on the roadside along with a few other pavement dwellers when the police patrol vehicle ran over her.
Mohan, along with a duty sub-inspector and a constable, was on routine night rounds.
The driver reportedly did not notice the women sleeping on the pavement as the stretch is poorly lit.
Mohan stopped the vehicle and the police team and passersby rushed Lakshmi, who had sustained serious injuries on her chest, legs and hands, to GH around 10.20 p.m. She was admitted in the ICU and given treatment.
However, around 12.55 p.m. on Wednesday, Lakshmi succumbed to her injuries. The body was sent for post-mortem and a case under section 304 A (rash and negligent driving) of IPC has been registered against Mohan by the Elephant Gate traffic investigation police.
“Mohan is a young and inexperienced policeman who was earlier with the armed reserve wing of the force,” said a police officer.
However, the police said Mohan might be granted bail and resume duty.
