Mob damages police van

Erode: Some unidentified persons overturned a police van, damaging it prompting police to lathi-charge a crowd which had gathered after a 60-year-old lorry driver was run over by a car near here, police today said. Police had stopped a lorry carrying cloth bundles last evening and asked the driver to show the vehicle documents. As he was crossing the road, a speeding car knocked him down, killing him on the spot, police said. They requisitioned an ambulance but as a crowd started gathering at the spot sought reinforcements. Some people alleged that a police traffic inspector and police personnel had demanded bribe from the driver and he met with the accident when he was trying to handover the money. When police asked the crowd to disperse, some overturned a police van, damaging it. Police resorted to lathi-charge to chase away the crowd, police said. Superintendent of Police M.R. Sibi Chakravarthy assured locals that an inquiry would be conducted and appropriate action taken.