Truck rams vehicles in Madurai; 1 killed

MADURAI: Police arrested a lorry driver for allegedly ramming into more than 10 motorists while driving under the influence of alcohol, resulting in the death of one person and injuries to nine others near Alanganallur in Madurai district on Thursday.

The accused, identified as Jayaprakash (29) of Vikramangalam, was driving a milk vehicle from Nagari when he allegedly drove recklessly and at high speed near Alanganallur.

Police said the lorry first hit Solairaj, who was standing beside his two-wheeler on the roadside. Instead of stopping, the driver allegedly sped away.

When the public attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver allegedly continued driving and rammed into more than 10 motorists coming from the opposite direction, causing multiple accidents.

Enraged by the incident, people chased the lorry for about 4 km along the Madurai-Natham Road, intercepted it and assaulted the driver before handing him over to the police.

Solairaj, who sustained grievous injuries in the accident, succumbed while undergoing treatment at a hospital. Police have taken Jayaprakash into custody and registered a case against him. The incident caused panic in the locality.