Chennai: Beeda Madhuri, daughter of Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Beeda Masthan Rao, was arrested for allegedly running her BMW car over a man rough sleeping near Besant Nagar in Chennai on Monday evening.
However, there broke out a protest after Beeda Madhuri was released on station bail, The Indian Express reported.
The man who was killed in the incident, identified as Surya, was a painter who stayed in Odaikuppam near Besant Nagar.
Following an argument with his wife Vanitha on Monday, Surya slept on the pavement near Varadaraj Salai just 2 km away from his home, after consuming alcohol. Searching for him, Vanitha found Surya sleeping on the pavement.
A police officer who knew the details of the incident said: “As she stepped aside to call relatives for help, the car driven by Madhuri turned onto the road and ran over Surya.”
It is reported citing eyewitness and Vanitha that two women came out of the car after the incident and assessed the situation, alerted an ambulance before leaving the scene.
Rushed to Government Royapettah Hospital, Surya was declared dead on arrival.
Madhuri, who surrendered at police station Tuesday morning, was arrested on charges of causing death due to negligence, a violation of Section 304A of the Indian Penal Code. She was later released on station bail.
It is reported that police erred by granting a station bail to Beeda Madhuri instead of court bail which, according to a police offer, ‘would have also secured the medical report of the car driver’.
Accusing inaction, the locals and Surya’s relatives protested at the Shastri Nagar police station on Monday night.
The crowd dispersed after the police officers promised strong action.
Married recently, Surya was struggling to make a living through painting and odd jobs.