A 20-year-old youth, riding a two-wheeler, died after he rammed a barricade on the Tambaram-Puzhal bypass near Kallikuppam Toll Plaza during the early hours of Thursday.
Police suspect that the victim was speeding away after snatching the cellphone of a truck driver.
According to police, Mani, 20, who was riding the bike without a helmet, and his friend Surya, 20, of Ambattur, hit a barricade and sustained head injuries. The two were rushed to a private hospital for treatment.
However, Mani was declared dead on arrival.
Police claimed that Mani and Surya were speeding away after snatching the cellphone of C. Perumal, a lorry driver, near the Pattravakkam Railway bridge. “However, Perumal did not file a complaint as his cell phone was retrieved and Mani died in the accident,” said an officer attached to Ambattur police station.