Liquor-laden lorry falls into 15-foot wide drainage

A liquor-laden lorry today turned turtle and fell into a 15-foot wide drainage on the city outskirts, police said.
The mishap occurred when the 10-wheeler lorry, coming from Chennai and carrying about 900 cases of liquor, consisting of brandy and whisky, meant for Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation bars in the district, had stopped near Kandal, police said.
As the driver started the vehicle, a two-wheeler came in front and the driver slammed the brakes and the vehicle overturned and fell into the drainage.
The driver fled the scene immediately, as the load was worth around Rs 35 lakh, police said.

Many bottles were broken and liquor started flowing through the drainage, enveloping the hill station area with an alcoholic odour over a distance of one km.
As people thronged the spot, six policemen were posted to prevent them from laying hands on the bottles.
Meanwhile, the administration has requisitioned a crane to lift the lorry from the drainage, which has started getting clogged, police said.