Stir after MTC bus runs over techie in Perambur

CHENNAI: A 28-year-old software engineer died at Otteri here on Saturday after falling off his two-wheeler and coming under the wheels of an MTC bus.
The deceased has been identified as Ambuj Kathotiya. The accident happened near Stephenson Road and Dr Ambedkar College Road Junction in Perambur when he was going to buy groceries. Kathotiya's two-wheeler skidded when he tried to overtake an MTC bus plying between Periyar Nagar and Broadway (route number 142).Eyewitnesses told police that the motorcycle skidded because of the sludge on the road caused by spilling of mud carried by trucks from a construction site in the area.
“This is not the first accident. A 17-year-old girl died at the same spot after a truck ran over her. A 70-year-old man fell off his two-wheeler but he escaped with minor injuries,” said Kathotiya’s neighbour Vikas Kataria. “For the four-five months, they are creating plots and transferring the mud to another site. A lot of black mud was spilling on the road. We cannot ride or walk on the road. During rain, it is very slippery, he said .
Soon after the accident, the residents of the North Town Estate staged a road blockade at Otteri. They demanded action against a building construction firm. The sludge caused by construction activities posed danger to the road users, they alleged. The protesters said they had lodged complaints against the construction firm. However, there was no action.
Residents also said apart from the spill over mud from trucks , silt from the storm water drains was dumped on the road. "That too might have led to the accident," said a resident.
As protest continued, police arrested 50 people, including women, for blocking the road. They were taken to a marriage hall in Pulianthope. Of those booked, Jithesh Mehta, Ashwin C Jain, Rajendra Kumar, Tarun, Maninder and another person were booked under the IPC Sections 143 (unlawful assembly) and 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and were arrested.
After the protest by residents, the Chennai Corporation employed workers to clean the road. Corporation officials locked and sealed the construction site. "We will take further action. Now, we have sealed the site," said an official.
The Kilpauk traffic investigation wing police registered a case under the Section 304 (A) (death caused due to negligent driving) of the IPC and arrested the bus driver. MTC officials said the bus driver could not be blamed for the accident.
They showed a footage to prove their claim, in which the techie is seen falling off the two-wheeler.