An 18-year-old college student died on the spot after her bicycle was hit by a speeding tipper lorry near Urapakkam on Monday morning. The residents, who immediately staged a protest, said that the sand-laden lorries are overspeeding in the locality, putting the lives of commuters at risk.

Sharon Kiruba

Chennai:

The deceased was identified as R Sharon Kiruba, a resident of Anandur near Guduvanchery. She was studying BA economics at a private college in Guindy. Her father Ramesh is working in a printing press. 

Police said that Sharon used to go to the railway station on her bicycle, from where she would take the local train to reach her college. 

 On Monday morning, Sharon was riding her cycle on Aadhanur-Urapakkam Road towards the railway station. Suddenly, a speeding tipper lorry lost its control and hit her bicycle from behind. In the impact, Sharon came under the wheels of the lorry and died on the spot. 

Soon, the public gathered and pelted stones at the lorry. They also blocked the other four lorries and attacked them. On information, the Guduvanchery police and a special police team from Chengalpattu rushed to the spot.

The public said that many sand-laden lorries are passing through the road every day due to the lake renovation work, which is carried out by the Public Works Department at Urapakkam. They complained that the over speeding lorries put the lives of motorists and pedestrians at risk. 

Police officers pacified the people and promised that soon speed breakers will be constructed on the road soon apart from acting against the lorry drivers who are crossing the speed limit.  Following this, the girl’s body was sent for autopsy to the Chengalpattu Government Medical College and Hospital.

The lorry driver, identified as Sathish (28) from Chengalpattu, was arrested by the police a little later.