Pregnant woman dies after cop 'kicks' bike

March 08, 2018 20:35

A young pregnant woman was killed and her husband injured when the two-wheeler they were riding was allegedly kicked by a traffic inspector for not stopping during a helmet check drive near Tiruchirappalli, police said.

The late last evening incident led to an outrage with locals staging a protest and clashing with police, following which inspector Kamaraj was arrested and suspended.

In Chennai, Chief Minister K Palaniswami today condoled the death of the woman, Usha, who was four months pregnant, and ordered a solatium of Rs 7 lakh to her kin besides assuring appropriate action after a probe.

Palaniswami said that on his orders, inspector Kamaraj was arrested immediately and lodged in prison.

The National Human Rights Commission took suo motu cognisance of the incident and sought a report from the Tamil Nadu government.

The incident also echoed in the Madras high court where social activist Traffic Ramaswamy made a mention and wanted the court to take suo motu (on its own) notice of it and proceed further.

However, first bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Abdul Quddhose refused to initiate suo motu proceedings and asked Ramaswamy to file a petition.

According to eyewitnesses, the inspector tried to stop the two-wheeler at Tuvakudi Toll plaza as Raja, riding the bike, for not wearing helmet.

However, as the man proceeded without stopping, Kamaraj took another two-wheeler and chased the couple and allegedly kicked it with his leg. The couple fell down near a roundabout on TiruchirappalliThanjavur highway.

Usha, in her 30s, was rushed to a hospital but declared brought dead, police said. Her husband had been hospitalised with serious injuries.

An FIR was registered in connection withe incident, Inspector Kamaraj was produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody today.

He, however, denied kicking the two-wheeler.

In a press release, Palaniswami said he was grieved to learn that Usha died succumbing to severe injuries she sustained after falling off the two-wheeler. -- PTI

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