A 23-year-old woman riding a two-wheeler was crushed to death in Chennai’s Pallikaranai area on Thursday after a hoarding fell on her. She lost her balance and fell on the road, and then a water tanker ran over her. The hoarding was allegedly put up by workers of the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

The victim was identified as software engineer Subhashree. The accident occurred around 3 pm when she was returning home after work, The Times of India reported.

“As she approached Pallikaranai, a giant flex-board erected by AIADMK workers ahead of former Chennai City Corporation’s AIADMK councillor C Jayagoplan’s family reception reportedly tumbled on Subhashree,” an official with the St Thomas Mount Traffic Investigation Wing told the Hindustan Times. “She fell on the road and a speeding water tanker lorry ran over on her.”

The hoarding had pictures of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, according to NDTV. “The hoardings are unauthorised. We are taking action against those who put them up,” Joint Commissioner of Police for Chennai South, C Maheswari, said.

The woman was immediately taken to a hospital but doctors declared her dead on arrival. The police have arrested the driver of the tanker.

All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam spokesperson Babu Murugavel claimed that the hoarding did not lead to the accident. “She was fatally run over by a speeding water tanker truck,” Murugavel said. “Since Subhashree was lying in a pool of blood, people tore up the hoarding to cover her. The hoarding did not fall on her.”

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief MK Stalin criticised the government and the police for not taking action against illegal hoardings. “A hoarding put up without police permission is condemnable since it has cost the life of a young engineer,” Stalin asked on Twitter. “How many more will have to lose their lives due to the arrogance of the rulers?”


Now, follow and debate the day’s most significant stories on Scroll Exchange.