5 auto drivers held for drag race on Tambaram–Minjur Road

The Poonamallee Traffic Investigation police identified the arrested as B Suresh (36), N Manikandan (38), B Sathish (35), T Shankar (33) and S Baskar (38). Police received a tip-off regarding the race on the particular stretch on Tuesday and set up check points at two important junctions. However, as they could not stop the speeding autorickshaws, they chased them in cars and managed to stop them. The auto drivers race for nearly 10-km. 

Each participant would have to pay Rs 5,000 to enter the race, and winner would get up to Rs 50,000 if there are 10 participants, noted an officer. Police added that the same group was involved in a race on Monday early morning. A video of a race that took place recently showed a speeding autorickshaw pushing another vehicle towards a moving truck. 

The video footages which went viral under tags that included ‘Chennai version of fast and furious.’ The video was taken by those travelling on two-wheelers and cheering the auto drivers. Six autos and one two-wheeler were seized, and police said they are on the lookout for two others.