Dragged 3.5 km by vehicle, man battles for life

COIMBATORE: A rashly-driven car hit a 45-year-old man and allegedly dragged him for nearly three-and-a-half km along the Tiruchy road on Saturday.P Purushothaman, an employee of Express Publications (Madurai) Limited, was walking on the Tiruchy road near Sungam junction around 12.30 am when a car driven by S Thangavelu hit him, said an eyewitness.Attempting to escape from the scene of crime, Thangavelu sped past. But, he did not realise that the dress of Purushothaman had got tangled in the rear mudguard of the car. Purushothaman was dragged along the road till the house of the accused at Dhanalakshmi Nagar near Stock Market building, almost three-and-a-half kilometres from the accident spot, police said.He was rescued only when a motorist, who witnessed the accident, chased the car and informed police about the incident.Purushothaman is currently battling for his life in a private hospital.  “He is still in a semi-conscious state. He has lost most of the skin flap from head to toe and has suffered multiple fractures. He must undergo several surgeries,” said Dr N Arumugam, of K G Hospitals. The doctor said Purushothaman has also suffered skull injuries, which will have long-term effects.The police arrested Thangavelu and remanded him in judicial custody.