Rajya Sabha MP’s daughter arrested, released on bail for ‘running BMW over painter’ sleeping on pavement

“As she stepped aside to call relatives for help, the car driven by Madhuri turned onto the road and ran over Surya,” a police officer linked to the case said.

As per eyewitnesses and Vanitha’s statement, the car stopped briefly after the accident. Two women allegedly stepped out of the vehicle to assess the situation, alerted an ambulance and left the scene as a crowd gathered.

Passers-by rushed Surya to the Government Royapettah Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.

The deceased has been identified as Surya, a painter who stayed in Odaikuppam near Besant Nagar.

Madhuri, accompanied by her legal counsel, surrendered before the police on Tuesday morning. She was arrested on charges of causing death due to negligence, a violation of Section 304A of the Indian Penal Code, but was released on station bail shortly thereafter.

According to a top police source, the police erred by letting the accused leave on station bail instead of court bail. “Had it been court bail, it would have also secured the medical report of the car driver,” the officer said.

The incident has triggered anger among locals and Surya’s relatives who have accused the police of inaction. They laid siege to the Shastri Nagar police station on Monday night, demanding immediate action against the driver. The crowd only dispersed after the police officers promised strong action.

The police said Surya was recently married and was striving to make a living through painting and odd jobs.

The traffic investigation unit in Adyar is investigating the case.