Full Breakdown
Constable’s 40-km Roof-Cling Stops Gutka Smuggling Run on Coimbatore Highway
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Background & Context
Tamil Nadu police received a tip that a white Hyundai Creta (KA 05 NG 7692) was transporting a large consignment of banned tobacco products—gutka—from Bengaluru to Coimbatore. A vehicle-checking point was set up in Vilankurichi, Coimbatore district, in the early hours of Sunday.
Core Event – The 40-km Roof Chase
At about 5.45 a.m., Sub-Inspector V. Vignesh and Head Constable M. Velmurugan approached the SUV. When the driver rolled down the window, the vehicle accelerated, trapping the sub-inspector’s hand. Velmurugan climbed onto the roof and grasped the rails as the SUV sped toward Avinashi on the Salem-Kochi Highway. Police and an ambulance pursued for nearly an hour, covering more than 40 km at speeds reported above 100 km/h. The chase passed the Kaniyur toll plaza, where the vehicle’s FASTag opened the barrier automatically. Police teams from Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts later blocked the SUV near the Thekkalur-Mangalam stretch and arrested the three occupants.
Data & Statistics
- Roof-clinging distance: ? 40 km
- Reported SUV speed: > 100 km/h
- Smugglers: P. Babu Dhara, A. Rajesh, S. Suresh (Rajasthan natives)
- Vehicle: Hyundai Creta, white, Karnataka registration
- Gutka seized: estimates range from 100 kg to 300 kg
Official Statements & Responses
- DSP A. Pavan Kumar Reddy said the NHAI was alerted and an ambulance dispatched for the constable’s safety.
- DGP Dr. Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal praised Velmurugan’s courage and presence of mind.
- Ministers K. Vignesh, R. S. Rajakannappan, and K. Muthusamy congratulated Velmurugan and pledged to inform Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay.
On-the-Ground Reports
Police noted the driver’s sudden reversal and window roll-down that trapped the sub-inspector’s hand, prompting Velmurugan’s roof climb. Ambulance crew footage showed the constable lying flat on the roof as the vehicle passed Kalapatti, Nehru Nagar junction, and the airport junction. Motorists captured additional video that spread on social media. Two smugglers sustained upper-limb fractures during the escape attempt.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the exact quantity of gutka seized: the Times of India cited “more than 100 kg,” the Hindu “about 230 kg,” NDTV “200 kg,” and other outlets “170 kg” to “300 kg.” No independently verified figure has been released.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The police immediately alerted the NHAI, which deputed an ambulance to ensure the policeman’s safety. Though we had alerted the Kaniyur toll gate, the SUV got away as the boom barrier operated with the FASTag. The video of the policeman on the SUV was shot by the ambulance crew,” — District Superintendent, Coimbatore
- “I got atop the SUV in an attempt to stop them. But they sped away. I clung onto the rails, determined not to give up,” — Constable M. Velmurugan
What’s Next
Police have opened an investigation into the smuggling network and are interrogating the arrested suspects. The seized gutka will be destroyed under state prohibition regulations.