CHENNAI: A truck carrying crates of alcohol from a distillery in Thiruvallur to Villupuram toppled along the Chennai-Trichy highway near Maduranthagam, 50 km from the city on Saturday night after the driver lost control of the vehicle. The driver and cleaner escaped with minor injuries.

Motorists and locals passing by purged the liquor bottles after learning of the load being carried in the toppled truck, even as some locals tried to fend them away.

Police said that the incident happened around midnight on Saturday and in the impact, the truck hit the metal railings which serve as a parapet along the highway and turned turtle.

Maduranthagam police rushed to the scene on information, rescued the driver and the helper from the driver’s cabin, and moved them to a hospital.

Police then employed a crane to bring the truck back on its wheels. Preliminary investigations revealed that the driver dozed off behind the wheels which led to the accident.

Members of the public who stole the liquor bottles from the toppled truck made use of the night cover, police said.