Tippers turning to be killer agents in the city

TRIPUNITHURA:  The speeding tipper lorries of the real estate owners of the city are turning to be killer agents in the city suburbs.  As the filling process and construction works are progressing, the tipper lorries are competing  with each other to earn more by transporting more loads of gravel and other building materials.If the tippers of illegal sand mining groups control the Poothotta and other southern regions of Ernakulam district, the Eastern side is under the control of crusher owners and gravel quarry owners.Though the traffic authorities introduced some restrictions for the entry of tipper lorries during the peak hours of traffic, these brutal killers explore the remaining time to make maximum profit by taking more and more trips.  In this reckless attempt to make maximum money they mercilessly finish everything coming in their way, whether it is a car, a two wheeler or even pedestrians.Within three days three lives have been taken by the reckless driving of tippers in Mulanthuruthy and Udayamperoor. Two persons have been admitted to hospitals with severe injuries.“In most cases tipper lorry owners have an unholy nexus with local political leaders.  With the muscle power and money power they evade the traffic rules and continue their massacre neglecting the hapless plight of the laymen," said a local of Udayamperoor who has witnessed many such accidents in Poothotta and Puthiyakavu stretch.In Udayamperoor, illegal sand mining is taking place without the knowledge of the concerned authorities.  While transporting the sand, the tipper lorry drivers are in a hurry either to evade the police checking or to reach the destination as fast as possible to enable more and more trips.In this deadly rash driving the ill fated pedestrians, two wheeler and car riders have to suffer a lot as at any time these killer trucks may ram into these vehicles to kill the riders on the spot.“Tipper lorry drivers have a special skill to flee away from the accident spot," said a traffic police constable who has to chase these escaping drivers on many occasions.  Soon after the accident,  they change their uniform and vanish within no time.  In one such incident we nabbed the driver from an uninhabited house in a remote area as he fled from the nearby main road after brutally finishing a two wheeler rider, who was trapped in between the wheels of the tipper near North Fort Gate, he said. A few days ago an ITC student of Thalakkode ITC died on the spot as a speeding tipper knocked the two wheeler in which he was a pillion rider. The student riding the two wheeler was admitted to hospital with serious injuries. In an accident that took place on Sunday, the speeding tipper lorry rammed into the Tata Nano car and after pulling it to nearly 50 meters it again hit on a Scorpio car.  This has intensified the impact of the accident as the Nano car was jammed between the two vehicles. This led to the tragic end of two persons sitting in the front seat. Ajayakumar, one of the victims, was on his way to invite his colleague for his daughter's marriage.  Unfortunately the accident took place just in front of the house of his colleague. Ajayakumar’s wife Sheeja is admitted to Medical Trust Hospital with serious injuries. “We never expect strong action against the drivers or the tipper operators as we doubt a nexus between these vehicles owners and the traffic department,” said a resident of Kochupalli who has also witnessed many such accidents.