Minor boy held for death of ex-AIADMK MLA’s son

A 17-year-old excavator driver was held for allegedly causing the death of the son of a former AIADMK MLA. The owner of the excavator was arrested for permitting the minor to operate it.

The deceased, Ulagadhipathi, 21, the son of P. Periyapullan alias Selvam from Valayapatti in Melur taluk of Madurai district, was staying at a friend’s house in Thiruvanmiyur. He was on the way to his college in Semmencherry on a motorcycle on July 22 morning, when the accident took place.

When he was riding the motorcycle near IIT-Madras on Sardar Patel Road, the excavator allegedly brushed against it from behind. He fell from the vehicle in the impact, and was run over by the excavator, the police said.

The Mylapore Traffic Investigation Wing registered a case and questioned the 17-year-old who was driving the excavator. It found that the excavator owner, Rasakumar, 34, of Anna MGR Nagar, Pallikaranai, had allegedly allowed the minor to operate the heavy vehicle, despite knowing that such vehicles should be driven only by trained and licensed operators.

Rasakumar was arrested and the excavator seized. He was produced before a court and remanded in judicial custody.

The juvenile was produced before the Juvenile Justice Board and admitted to a government observation home.