Tamil film supporting actor dies in road accident caused by drunk actor in Chennai

CHENNAI: A Tamil film supporting actor riding on a two-wheeler was fatally knocked down in Chennai on Wednesday night by an SUV being driven by another supporting actor, who was drunk.
The deceased has been identified as Saranraj, 29, of Dhanalakshmi Nagar Sixth Street in Maduravoyal. Police arrested the drunk supporting actor, identified as Palaniappan, 41.
The accident happened on the Arcot Road at Virugambakkam around 11.30 pm on Wednesday when Saranraj was returning home after shooting. Palaniappan was returning home in Saligramam after attending a party with his friends.
Saranraj was not wearing a helmet. He suffered head injuries in the accident. Passersby informed police and detained Palaniappan. The Guindy traffic investigation police led by the inspector Akila reached the spot. They sent Saranraj to Government Royapettah Hospital (GRH) where doctors examined him and declared that he was dead on arrival.
Passersby handed over Palaniappan to the police. Witnesses told the police that Palaniappan had driven the car in a rash and negligent manner. He first hit a car moving in front of him before hitting Saranraj’s two-wheeler.
Palaniappan was booked under Section 304 (II) (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the IPC and arrested.
He was taken to the GRH to test the alcohol content in his blood. There was 204 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood. The permissible level of blood alcohol content (BAC) in India is set at 0.03% per 100ml blood (30mg of alcohol per 100 ml).
Palaniappan was remanded in judicial custody.
Palaniappan has acted in small roles in movies like Rajini Murugan and Chandramukhi-2.