Three policemen attached to the Highway Patrol Team Vehicle-2 on Grand Southern Trunk Road in the Kancheepuram police district domain were killed in a freak accident near Maduranthakam in the early hours of Tuesday.
The driver of the patrol vehicle escaped with minor injuries. At about 2 a.m. in Karunkuzhi near Madurantakam, the patrol team members were ensuring smooth flow of traffic after a minor accident involving two goods carriers. Following a thundershower, the policemen moved into their vehicle, which was parked a few metres away from a lamppost on the shoulder of the carriageway.
A goods trailer, laden with iron bars, proceeding towards Tindivanam from Chennai, hit the patrol jeep from behind. In the impact, the patrol vehicle hit the lamppost and the goods trailer climbed over the patrol jeep crushing the three occupants to death.
Driver jumps out
The patrol vehicle driver, Baskar (37), a Grade-I Police Constable, jumped out of the vehicle as soon as the trailer hit the vehicle.
The other occupants, special SI Muthukrishnan (57) of Chengalpattu, Grade-I Police Constable Rajendran (38) of Orathi near Kancheepuram and Police Constable Ramadoss (32) of Poondi village near Wallajahpet in Vellore district died on the spot. Deputy Inspector-General of Police M.Ramasubramani and Superintendent of Police Prem Anand Singha placed wreaths on their bodies.
