Chennai: 4-year-old girl run over by water tanker

Chennai: In a shocking incident in Perumbakkam, a four-year-old girl was killed in front of her grandmother when a private water tanker lorry mowed her down on Saturday. The girl’s death is the third fatal incident in four days in the locality.

The victim was identified as M. Thanu Sri (4), of Dr Ambedkar Road in Pasumpon Nagar, Perumbakkam and daughter of Murugan. The incident happened when the girl’s grandmother, Susheela (48) took Thanu Sri to a nearby bunk shop. Thanu Sri was studying UKG in a nearby private school.

According to police, Thanu Sri wanted to go with Murugan to the beauty parlour run by him at Mudichur on Saturday morning.

But Murugan did not want to take her with him that led to tantrums. At the time, Murugan’s mother Susheela came out and assuaged the girl by promising snacks from the bunk shop.

  “After Murugan went to Mudichur, Thanu Sri with Susheela started to the bunk shop. A few meters after, a speeding private water tanker hit Thanu Sri, who was walking a few steps ahead,” the police said. The tanker was carrying water to a nearby apartment.

 She suffered serious injuries and the residents took her to a nearby hospital by an auto-rickshaw. But she succumbed on the way to the hospital.

 Meanwhile, tanker lorry driver Satish (29) of Chinna Salem, who fled the spot after the accident, surrendered in Pallikaranai police station.

The Pallikaranai police, in turn, handed over him to the St Thomas Mount Traffic Investigation police, who have registered a case.

On Wednesday techie Srinivasan (30) was killed after a tanker lorry rammed his two-wheeler on Pallavaram – Thoraipakkam Radial Road. Nandhakumar (23) died on Nemilichery – Keelkattlai Road after hit by a tipper lorry on Thursday.