On Wednesday, ‘Operation Hamla’, an anti-terror security drill, claimed the lives of two policemen from Kancheepuram district.
A policeman from Chennai, who was on his way to report for the exercise, also died after he was hit by a lorry.
The first casualty was special sub-inspector, Ravi (51), attached to the Uthiramerur police station. He was part of a police team, headed by Panchatcharam, inspector, Cheyyur, deployed for ‘Operation Hamla’ in the Koovathur area on the East Coast Road.
Around 12.30 a.m. on Wednesday, Ravi and some other policemen went to a higher secondary school in Kadappakam for a short break. Upon reaching there, Ravi fainted and was immediately rushed to a nearby primary health centre. He was referred to the Puduchery Institute of Medical Sciences hospital, where he died after admission.
Then, around 7 p.m., special sub-inspector, Chandrasekar, (56) of Perunagar police station, engaged in a similar exercise in Koovathur, was hit by a speeding vehicle on East Coast Road near the Koovathur police station.
He was rushed to the Department of Atomic Energy hospital in Kalpakkam and later shifted to a private hospital in Chennai, where he died.
What is Operation Hamla?
A routine exercise conducted by the security forces, ‘Operation Hamla’ is aimed at assessing the preparedness of the forces in the event of a terrorist attack.
It is carried out jointly by the police, the commandos of the coastal security group, the Navy and the Coast Guard. As part of the exercise this week, security along coastal Tamil Nadu was tightened.
During the drill, a bunch of commandos are designated as ‘terrorists’ and they try to infiltrate strategic establishments, including police headquarters, via sea and land.
On Thursday, the police nabbed 11 ‘terrorists’ including two who tried to enter through the Kasimedu fishing harbour.
City cop was knocked down by speeding lorry
On Thursday morning, head constable S. Adinathan (56) of the T.P. Chathiram police station was riding to work on his motorcycle to take part in ‘Operation Hamla’ when a goods lorry ran over him on Annai Pillai Road near Chennai Central. The lorry driver, S. Murugesan (35), may have been speeding, the police said, based on eyewitness accounts.
Adinathan was coming towards Chennai Central when the empty goods lorry approaching from the opposite direction tried to take a right on to Wall Tax Road. The lorry hit Adinathan’s two-wheeler in the rear causing him to lose control and fall on the road. The lorry ran him over. While Adinathan died on the spot, the lorry driver tried to flee but was nabbed by motorists and pedestrians who witnessed the accident. He was roughed up
The goods lorry was returning after delivering a consignment in Tiruchi and belongs to a local agency, Srinivasan Transport Company.
“The lorry was coming at a high speed. The stretch is usually empty early in the mornings. It is dotted with transport companies as many lorries ply on the stretch. Speeding is always a problem here,” said K. Santhosh, a resident.
Agitated motorists and passers-by roughed up the lorry driver before a police team nabbed him. They also smashed the windscreen and headlights of the vehicle.
Adinathan lived in the police quarters in Kondithope, north Chennai, with his family comprising three children. The body was sent to the Government Stanley Hospital. A case has been filed under IPC section 304 A (rash and negligent driving) by the Elephante Gate traffic investigation team.
