CHENNAI: Five women died on the spot when a speeding car driven by a college student crashed into them while they were sitting on a roadside at Pandithamedu near Thiruporur on Wednesday afternoon. The accident happened on the Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) around 2.45pm when the women were resting on the roadside after letting their cattle graze in nearby fields.
Two youths in the car, including the driver, were arrested, while two other occupants fled the scene. The two youths were beaten by villagers and passersby before the Mamallapuram police arrived there. A search was on to nab the two other occupants in the car.
Police said that the car, which was carrying four college students, was going to Mamallapuram from Thiruporur. The vehicle veered off and struck the women at a high speed near the Payanoor-Pandithamedu junction. In the impact of the crash, two women were flung several feet away.
The deceased women have been identified as M Andhaayi, 71, C Logammmal, 56, G Yasodha, 54, S Vijaya, 53, and K Gowri, 52, of Pandithamedu village. Following the accident, villagers and passersby surrounded the car. While two of the car’s occupants fled, Joshua and Ahmed were caught and beaten by the crowd. They were B Tech students in a private university in the locality. The police arrived shortly after and took the men into custody. The bodies of the victims were sent to the Chengalpet Govt Hospital for postmortem.
Villagers staged a protest, blocking the police vehicle and demanding strict action against the perpetrators and compensation for the victims’ families. The police assured the crowd that their demands would be addressed, and the protest was eventually dispersed.
“Just before the accident when the car was speeding on the OMR, some villagers alerted others to get hold of the driver. A biker had a narrow escape,” said Murugan, an advocate.
The Mamallapuram police registered a case and subjected the students to a medical test. Preliminary investigations revealed that they were not under the influence of alcohol.
Chief minister M K Stalin expressed his condolences and announced financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh each for the families of the deceased women.