2 killed in accidents involving MTC bus in Kundrathur

CHENNAI: Two persons were killed in accidents involving MTC buses in the city on Sunday. In one of the incidents, an MTC driver knocked down a 65-year-old security guard at Kundrathur bus depot, while reversing the vehicle on Sunday night. The deceased Veluchamy, a native of Theni, was working in the depot for the last one year.

Around 11 pm, after the staff put fuel in the bus, driver Balasubramaniam started the vehicle to park it in the bus bay without noticing Veluchamy who was sweeping the bay.

Other staff in the depot secured the elderly guard and moved him to a hospital nearby where he was declared brought dead. Kundrathur police secured the body and sent it to KMCH for autopsy. Tambaram police have registered a case of negligence against Balasubramaniam and are probing.

CITU-affiliated Government Transport Employees Union general secretary V Dayanandham said as per the MTC’s standing order, no one above 58 should be employed. “Why did the MTC allow the contractor to engage an aged person? Last month, a 65-year-old woman was killed in Ambattur depot in a similar accident,” he said.

In another accident, a 37-year-old man was crushed to death by an MTC bus on the Vadapalani flyover on Sunday night. The accident happened around 9 pm, when MTC bus (route no.70) plying between Tambaram to Koyambedu knocked a two-wheeler down, killing Pugazhendhi of Virugambakkam, a private company employee, on the spot.

Pondy Bazaar traffic investigation wing registered a case against the bus driver, Sakthiman.