Benz car mishap: Toll mounts to three

Chennai, Dec 17: The toll in the mishap involving a Mercedes Benz here, which ran over a group of labourers sleeping on a pavement, rose to three with the death of a temple priest late last night.

Police sources said the deceased was identified as Vanchinathan from Thanjavur, who was a priest in a temple here.

The priest was on his way to attend a house warming ceremony, when the car hit his two-wheeler, before killing two people on-the-spot and injuring ten others early onDecember 13.

Vanchinathan, who sustained grievous injuries, was admitted to a hosptial. Meanwhile, police have confirmed the presence of a minor boy inside the ill-fated car, who had been absconding. Police had formed six special teams to trace the boy, who had reportedly fled to Lucknow.

''One of the teams has gone to Lucknow, following reports that the boy is staying there. We will arrest him soon,'' police sources said. The boy was the son of an industrialist in Triplicane area and had allegedly driven the car. He was studying in Singapore and had come to the city on vacation.

Chandrakanth Sharma, an employee of the company owned by industrialist, had surrendered before Egmore Metropolitan Magistrate Court, stating that he was behind the wheels when the accident took place and was released on bail.

The car was badly damaged and the driver had fled the scene.

An anonymous fax received at UNI