Class 12 girl ran over by bus dies, left unattended for 30 mins

CHENNAI: A Class 12 girl died on the spot after an MTC bus rammed her bicycle while she was returning home after celebrating Independence Day with friends at her school, near Chromepet on Monday.

The girl’s body remained on the road for more than 30 minutes, as police officials from the local station were caught up in I-Day fete, said local sources.

The deceased, identified as Lakshmi Shree (17) of Nemilichery in Chromepet, was a student of a private school in Nehru Nagar in Chromepet.

On Monday morning, Lakshmi went to the school on her bicycle to attend the flag hoisting ceremony.

After the ceremony, she was returning home with her friends around 10 am when the incident happened.

When she was on Rajendra Prasath Road in Chromepet, an MTC bus (52H) that was heading towards Hastinapuram rammed the cycle. Lakshmi got stuck under the wheels died on the spot.

The bus driver managed to escape from the spot immediately after the incident.

The onlookers informed the police, but since most of the police force was on duty for the Independence Day celebrations, officials did not arrive at the spot immediately and the girl’s body was left on the road for more than 30 minutes.

Later, the Chrompet traffic investigation police sent the body for post-mortem examination.

The police have registered a case and search is on to nab the bus driver who is absconding.

The incident may have not occurred if the Highways Department paid heed to the petitions filed by residents and activists to remove the encroachments on both sides of Rajendra Prasad Road.

V Santhanam, a social activist from Chromepet, said vendors and traders were encroaching the road that has six community halls and schools. “We have requested Highways and the Tambaram Corporation officials several times to remove encroachments, but no steps were taken,” he said.