Crane kills woman near Metro Rail site

Police said Nirmala (35), wife of Nathan, a resident of Radha Nagar, off GN Chetty Road, T Nagar was walking on the footpath towards the Moopanar Memorial from the Gemini bridge side. The slabs on the central median in this area were kept haphazardly due to the Metro works. A crane that, according to the police was brought to set right the median slabs, entered a lane meant only for light vehicles. When the crane navigated through the misplaced slabs, Nirmala’s saree got stuck in a section of the crane. The crane driver did not notice this and continued to drive. Nirmala, who was dragged along and caught under the front wheel, died from the injuries sustained. The crane driver, Majrid Imam (25), a native of Bihar, fled the scene fearing public retaliation and escaped to Manapakkam where he lived. Police later arrested the driver. The accident, the fifth untoward incident being reported near a Chennai Metro Rail work site, took place around 12 noon. Last year, a software professional on a two wheeler was killed at a Chennai Metro Rail work site near OTA on June 17, 2015 when a 10 tonne iron bar from the work site suddenly fell on his moving motorbike.  In another accident at a Metro Rail work site, a worker was killed and another one was critically injured when a Chennai Metro Rail crane toppled and fell on them at Saidapet on January 16, 2014.