In a special drive, the Chennai Traffic Police booked over 700 cases for offences ranging from drunken driving to rash driving.
The four main government hospitals in the city received more than 200 persons, including many hurt in road accidents and assaults related to New Year revelry.
In the city’s suburbs, six lost their lives. However, the city police claimed that these were not connected with New Year revelry.
Thangavel, 19, of New Perungalathur, was returning home from Marina when he rammed his bike into a bus plying between Tambaram and Poonamallee near Tambaram bus terminus. He sustained injuries on the head and chest. The police have arrested bus driver Subramani.
Sundar, 47, who was riding his bike on the Ennore-Beach Road, died after his bike collided with another. In Kathirvedu, Sabakar, 31, who was riding a bike, was hit by an unknown vehicle. The police have registered a case. Ramalingam, 40, was run over by a lorry near Puzhal jail. Mohammad, 45, a resident of Porur, was hit by an autorickshaw in Kumananchavadi and died on the way to hospital. An elderly person was also killed in Poonamallee after being hit by an auto. Two inspectors, Jayachitra and Pushparaj, sustained minor injuries in accidents.
Preventive drive
The traffic police divided the city into 10 sectors and 110 vehicle checkpoints were placed. “We had identified 62 bike race-prone zones, including Wallajah Road, Adams Road, Thiru Vi Ka Bridge, Poonamallee High Road, Cathedral Road and New Avadi Road,” said a police source.
A total of 42 drunken driving cases, 63 cases of rash driving, 159 of triple riding, 330 of speeding and 110 miscellaneous cases, including minors driving, were registered prior to 11 p.m. Last year, during the same drive, 263 drunken driving cases, 33 of rash driving, 233 of triple riding and 80 of speeding cases were registered.
Many residents complained of speeding bikes in most parts of the city. “I live along the Old Mahabalipuram Road. On New Year’s eve, I saw policemen warning bikers, on the public announcement system, to ride slowly to avoid accidents. But no one seemed to be bothered. The roaring of bikes was a disturbance,” a resident said.
Fewer injuries
According to officials of GVK-EMRI, which operates the 108 ambulance service, there were a total of 113 road traffic accident cases from midnight to 12 noon on Wednesday in Chennai as against 147 cases last year.
The four GHs received a fewer number of persons injured in accidents when compared to last year. Except for a few persons, who suffered fractures, the severity of injuries was less too, hospital authorities said.
Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital treated 26 persons as out-patients and 22 as in-patients with minor injuries. Royapettah Hospital received 30 patients injured in RTAs and 22 injured in assaults. Kilpauk Medical College Hospital received 38 persons injured in accidents, 43 self-falls and 10 persons with burns that included cracker injuries. Stanley Medical College Hospital treated 30 patients, officials said.
