7-yr-old run over by lorry

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A seven-year-old girl died after she was run over by a speeding lorry in Ettayapuram village near the Kishkintha theme park here on Saturday.

According to the police, Lakshya (7) daughter of Mr Ganesan, a lorry owner residing in Ettayyapuram village in Kanchipuram district was playing near her house when a lorry, laden with stone blocks, knocked her down and ran over her.

Though the driver tried to speed away, villagers gave chase and cornered the lorry after about one kilometre. However, the driver abandoned the lorry and fled the spot. Following this the mob set the vehicle on fire.

When a fire tender reached the spot to extinguish the burning lorry, pretesting villagers blocked the road and prevented fire service personnel from putting out the flames.

Kanchipuram police officials, along with Revenue department officials, later arrived at the spot and held talks with the agitating locals. The public alleged that several accidents had occurred earlier on the same spot.

“Heavy vehicles transporting illegally extracted stones from a quarry situated in the vicinity are driven rashly resulting in accidents.

The authorities have failed to take action against the offenders. Despite several assurances given in the past, accidents continue to take place,” they complained.

“RTO officials must check these vehicles regularly and put an end to the menace,” said the locals.
The villagers dispersed after officials promised to crack down on the offenders and look into the issue of illegal quarrying. Fire service personnel were allowed to extinguish the blaze after about half an hour.

The body of Lakshya was sent to the Chromepet Government Hospital for post-mortem and later handed over to her parents.

The Somangalam police has registered a case and is on the look-out for the driver.