Salem-B’luru NH accident: Truck driver arrested

Salem-B’luru NH accident: Truck driver arrested

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Dharmapuri:  14.12.2020

Hours after the complete mayhem on Thoppur ghat road on Salem-Bengaluru National Highway, where a speeding container truck crashed into 12 cars, a minivan, a truck and a bike, killing four and injuring seven others, police arrested the truck driver in the early hours of Sunday.

The Thoppur police identified the accused as Qutbuddin, 32, of Jharkhand. A police officer said the driver was hiding in a nearby forest, fearing arrest.

Pravesh Kumar, district superintendent of police, said they were questioning the truck driver to know what caused the accident. “We don’t know whether he had dozed off at the wheel. He was driving fast and it seems he had lost control over the vehicle.”

He said transport department officials were checking the truck for a possible brake failure.

Pointing out that the stretch has sharp curves and inclines, Kumar said some drivers were in the habit of driving the vehicles on neutral mode to save fuel. “It is difficult to control a vehicle when driven on neutral mode. There is also a possibility that the truck might have been on neutral mode when the incident occurred.”

The SP said while the driver was speeding the truck, he hadn’t crossed the speed limits as the truck was equipped with speed governor.

The Thoppur police, meanwhile, took the driver to the Dharmapuri government medical college and hospital for Covid-19 testing.

“We will lodge him in the Salem Central Prison after getting the test report,” a police officer said.

1 killed as truck rams bike from behind

A 23-year-old man was killed after a truck rammed his bike near Masinaickenpatty on Salem-Chennai National Highway on Sunday while he was on his way to appear for the written examination for the recruitment of Grade-II police constables, jail wardens and firemen.

Police identified the deceased as M Periyannan, of Dharapuram Kattuvalavu village near Omalur in the district. After completing Class XII, he had been preparing for the Grade-II recruitment examination. According to a police officer, the examination centre that was allocated to Periyannan was a private arts and science college at Ramalingapuram on the NH. “When he neared Masinaickenpatty around 7.30am, the truck hit his bike from behind. Periyannan was thrown off from the bike and his head hit the parapet wall on roadside. He died on the spot.” TNN

The Thoppur police identified the accused as Qutbuddin, 32, of Jharkhand. A police officer said the driver was hiding in a nearby forest, fearing arrest