Mariam Pitchai, in charge of environment, pollution control and minorities welfare, was killed yesterday when his car collided with a lorry.
A CB-CID team of state police today began enquiries into the mishap which killed a minister near Padalur in this district, following a probe ordered by chief minister Jayalalithaa, who had said there was 'some mystery' about it.
Mariam Pitchai, in charge of environment, pollution control and minorities welfare, was killed yesterday when his car collided with a lorry.
Officials said the team examined the vehicle and questioned Pitchai's driver, who told them a medium sized container lorry had rammed the car's side and also the minister's personal security guard and four others who travelled with him.
They also enquired whether Pitchai had first travelled in the government car and then shifted to a SUV, why the escort vehicle was travelling at quite a distance from the minister's vehicle or whether he himself had asked them not to follow as their vehicle could not match the speed of his car.
The team faulted local police for not alerting the next checkpost at Thozhuthur immediately after the accident.
They expressed confidence of tracing the vehicle, suspected to be bearing Andhra Pradesh or Karnataka licence plates, with images recorded in the web camera at two toll plazas immediately before and after the accident spot.
Jayalalithaa had told reporters yesterday after paying homage to the minister and offering condolences to Pitchai's wife and other family members that the public and her partymen suspect there is some mystery about the accident and that the case would be transferred to the CB-CID.
She had also said that if anybody was found guilty they would be tried as per the law.
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