Two persons were knocked down by a speeding water tanker lorry that was driven reportedly under the influence of alcohol at Senneerkuppam near Poonamallee in Chennai on Thursday (July 31, 2025).

Police sources said at 7.30 am, the tanker lorry was speeding on Avadi- Poonamallee road after having filled water at Senneerkuppam. First, it hit a bike in which one Krishna was riding with Devi, a 40-year-old woman from Thiruverkadu on the pillion. They were thrown off the bike and the woman was grievously injured while Krishna escaped without any injury.

Again, the lorry bumped into 23-year-old Dhanapal, a mason from Salem district who was walking on the road, and he died on the spot. The vehicle stopped only after ramming into two-wheelers parked on the roadside and it hit an electric post. In the impact, the electric pole was damaged and the power supply was disrupted in the area. Two persons — another pedestrian and a woman who was cleaning her car near her house — had a close shave.

The residents caught the driver of the tanker lorry, Azhagu Raja (30), who was reportedly in an inebriated condition, and handed him over to the police. The injured persons were taken to Government Poonamallee Hospital where Dhanapal was declared as brought dead and Devi died without responding to the treatment.   

Traffic Investigation Police, Poonamallee, registered a case and arrested the driver. Further investigation is on.