MAHABALIPURAM: Tension prevailed in Mahabalipuram as relatives of a sculptor staged a protest against the cops for refusing to let him go to hospital after he suffered a serious spine injury in a road accident.

The injured Baskaran, a sculptor who owns a small workshop in Mahabalipuram, suffered a spine injury on Saturday when he fell from his motorcycle into a culvert.

Baskaran’s son and other family members were rushing him to the government hospital for treatment and the police blocked their car and refused to let them pass claiming the 'Soorasamharam' function was taking place in the nearby temple.

The police didn’t pay heed to the request of Baskaran's son to let them pass to the orthopedic hospital that was 100 meters away and advised them to return home.

Frustrated by the situation, the victim's family engaged in a heated argument with the police and blocked the Mahabalipuram-Thiruporur road, leading to a tense situation. Subsequently, senior police officials intervened and managed to resolve the issue.