TV cable causes bike to skid, rider dies

The deceased, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, was an electrician and was helping his grandfather at the latter’s shop in Sholinganallur for one week. The accident happened when he was returning home at Hanuman Colony in Akkarai around 11pm. 

As he was just two kilometres away from his home, the front wheel of Mohammed’s two-wheeler became entangled with an abandoned cable, making him lose balance. The bike skidded a few metres away, while he hit the median. He suffered grievous head injuries as he was not wearing a helmet, and died on the spot. A call taxi driver who was coming behind him noticed Mohammed and alerted the ambulance.

He also found his address from the wallet and rushed to the house to bring his kin to the spot. On information, the Adyar traffic investigation police also reached the spot. When the ambulance refused to take Mohammed as he was already dead, the police arranged a private vehicle and sent him to Government Royapettah Hospital for autopsy. 

The Adyar Traffic Investigation police registered a case under Section 279 (Rash driving), 304 (A) (Causing death by negligence) and are trying to find the owner of the cable and whether it was hanging or lying on the road. 

The inspector said that Arasu cable authorities confirmed that the cable doesn’t belong to them. “We are inquiring with private network providers,” the inspector said.  Mohammed’s father Jaffer Ali said that the cable belongs to a private cable TV operator in Panaiyur. Mohammed Ali Jinnah is survived by his wife and a three-year-old son.