LKG boy dies after goods autorickshaw rams public toilet wall in Coimbatore

COIMBATORE: An LKG boy died after a goods autorickshaw he was travelling in with his mother and grandfather rammed the wall of a public toilet at Pillayarpuram near Madukkarai Market Road in the city on Tuesday morning.

The deceased boy has been identified as K Kathirvel, who was three years and seven months old. The accident happened when his mother, R Lalitha, 31, of Pillayarpuram was taking him to drop him at the private school in Sundarapuram where he was studying.

Lalitha’s father R Radhakrishnan, 60, was driving the goods autorickshaw. Lalitha and Kathirvel were sitting inside the driver's cabin. When the vehicle was descending a slop on a concrete road, its brake failed. "The vehicle hit the wall of a public toilet, causing severe injuries to the minor boy. He was rushed to the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) where he was declared dead on arrival," said a police officer.

Lalitha and Radhakrishnan, who sustained minor injuries in the accident, were admitted to CMCH. After postmortem, the boy's body was handed over to family members in the evening.

S Ashok Kumar, deputy commissioner of police (traffic), Coimbatore city, visited the accident spot. He advised people to use first gear while descending the slop, explaining that otherwise vehicles wouldn't get proper grip.

"Installing a speed breaker in the locality would help. However, it would make it difficult for vehicles going up. So, we have advised the public to drive cautiously in the area," said Ashok Kumar.

The traffic investigation wing (TIW-West) of the Coimbatore city police registered a case. The police advised people not to travel in goods vehicles as they are meant only for transporting materials.