Sources said that police told him that he cannot drive as he was heavily drunk and did not have vehicle documents needed. Following this, he threatened to jump into the river from the bridge. Before the policemen, who were busy with other motorists, could understand what is happening, he jumped.

Police identified the man as Radhakrishnan, a resident of Adyar. The incident took place around 10.15 pm on Saturday when he was riding a two-wheeler, with his friend Suresh on the pillion. They were on the way to Santhome when the police stopped their vehicle on the bridge.

“The police team was cracking down on drunken driving. They asked Radhakrishnan to blow into a breathalyser and the reading confirmed that he was heavily drunk,” noted a senior city traffic officer.

The policemen asked him to produce the driving licence and he told them that it was inside the bike. Suddenly, he turned around and jumped into the Adyar river leaving his friend and policemen in a state of shock.

Police then informed the Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services (TNFRS) personnel. Two TNFRS vehicles were pressed into service and they searched for Radhakrishnan using flashlights in the night. On Sunday morning, a rubber boat was used by the rescue teams for searching around the river. However, they could not locate the youth till Sunday evening.

Police said that there was hardly two-foot water in the river. “There is a possibility that he swam and escaped. But he has not reached his home,” police said. Police also checked with his friends, who claimed that he had not contacted them.

Police said that Radhakrishnan is a B Com graduate. He was earlier involved in an assault case and had spent a few weeks in prison, police said.