CHENNAI: A drunk man drove an MTC bus from the Thiruvanmiyur bus terminus and was stopped after he brushed aside a lorry near Akkarai, at least 10.6 km away, by the police patrol wing cops early on Thursday.
Inquiries revealed that he drove the bus to take revenge on a bus conductor who chided him a few weeks ago. Police detained him.
The suspect, Lourdusamy Abraham, 33, who works as an interior car decorator at Guduvancherry, lived with his family at Besant Nagar. Police said Abraham, who was drunk on Wednesday night, went to the Thiruvanmiyur bus terminus around 2.30 am.
As there was no one inside the bus terminus, Abraham stepped into the bus, route number 109, plying from Broadway to Kovalam, which was empty.
Abraham sat in the driver’s seat and pressed the start button. As soon as the ignition started, he moved the bus out of the terminus and proceeded towards the East Coast Road (ECR). He drove the vehicle recklessly and, within a short distance, lost control, eventually banging against a lorry near the Akkarai police checkpost. The impact of the collision damaged both vehicles, causing panic among bystanders and motorists in the area.
The lorry driver picked up an argument with Abraham over the accident. As the driver found Abraham was under the influence of alcohol, he immediately informed the patrol wing police personnel about the accident caused by the MTC bus and that the man was heavily intoxicated.
Following this, the police team intercepted the bus, chased it for a short distance, and finally nabbed the man behind the wheel. They secured the vehicle and ensured no further mishaps occurred.
During questioning, Abraham told police that he had friction with another bus conductor and, to take revenge on him, he hijacked the bus. Thiruvanmiyur police registered a case and arrested Abraham. He will be remanded in judicial custody for further questioning and legal proceedings.