Chennai: Two girls were severely injured as the share auto in which they were travelling, toppled after ramming into another such vehicle in Kanchipuram, on Tuesday.
The incident occurred outside a private engineering college in Keelambi, Kanchipuram district, as share auto drivers were vying with each other to reach the college entrance to pick up students after college hours by 1:30 pm.
In the reckless race, a share auto carrying 13 students collided with another and toppled, seriously injuring two girls - Ponni (20), daughter of Ramu from Walajabad and Shalini (20), daughter of Murthy from Arapakkam. Immediately, an 108 ambulance was summoned and the injured rushed to the Kanchipuram government hospital.
Ponni’s upper arm was cut off as the auto fell on her and she was rushed to the plastic surgery department in Stanley Medical Hospital, Chennai, for related treatment. Shalini is under treatment at the Kanchipuram government hospital.
The Baluchettichatram police registered a case. “Two drivers have been arrested and are being questioned. Police are also on the lookout for another third auto driver involved in the accident.
Narrating the incident, a parent said that such competition between auto drivers was common in Ponnerikarai too. “Share autos drivers compete among themselves to pick up students from the college to the Kanchipuram bus stand, from where they take buses,” a parent said.
“The government should either help construct a bus stop near the college and town buses have to ply up to the college entrance, or must instruct police to regulate traffic on the stretch,” another concerned parent added.
