A hitch-hiked bike ride for hardly 100 metres claimed the life of a 17-year-old student, B. Ajith of Othakadai, on New Natham Road on Monday.
Police said that the boy, studying Plus Two at YWCA Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Chinna Chokkikulam, had sought a ride on the motorbike of one V. Vignesh (30) of Viswanathapuram at the bus stop near PTR Palanivel Rajan statue junction on New Natham Road.
“He wanted me to drop him at the next junction (near the camp office of the Superintendent of Police),” said Mr. Vignesh, who was returning home at Viswanathapuram after dropping his elder sister at a school, where she is working.
Just as the bike picked up speed, Mr. Vignesh noticed an autorickshaw parked in front of Sri Nava Sakthi Vinayakar Temple, some 100 metres away from the Dean’s Quarters bus stop.
With a water tanker closely following him, Mr. Vignesh attempted to stop the vehicle.
But, the front portion of the tanker hit the silencer of the motorbike and Mr. Vignesh lost his balance. While he fell on the left side of the bike, Ajith fell on the right side. The rear wheel of the tanker crushed his head, killing him on the spot. Mr. Vignesh suffered only bruises. The incident occurred at 8.10 a.m.
The boy had got down from a bus somewhere near Tallakulam and had walked all the way to PTR Palanivel Rajan statue junction, where he sought a bike ride. Within a few seconds of getting on the bike, he died.
Two women teachers of the school, where the boy was studying, happened to cross the venue and they were found in tears looking at the body of the boy sporting white uniform.
Meanwhile, a city police statement said that had the pillion rider worn a helmet he would have high chances of escaping with minor injuries.
