CHENNAI: A man who was sleeping on the Chennai-Tiruvallur high road was crushed to death after the driver of an MTC bus started the vehicle on Monday morning without noticing that he was sleeping near the tyre.

The identity of the deceased man is yet to be ascertained, police said.

Police sources said that the driver, Santhanam, had parked the bus near Avadi along the Chennai-Tirvallur high road on Sunday. 

During the early hours of Monday, when he started the vehicle for service, he ran over the man who was sleeping near the tyre.

Avadi Police moved the man to a hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.

A case has been registered, and further investigations are underway.