A police chase took place in Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore district after a head constable clung to the roof of a speeding car for nearly 30 km as he tried to stop an alleged gutkha smuggling gang.
The incident took place on Sunday morning when a police team from Kovilpalayam police station conducted vehicle checks in Coimbatore. The officer, identified as head constable M Velmurugan, was found on the roof of the vehicle after its occupants allegedly resisted the police check and sped away.
The chase ended near Thekkalur in Avinashi, near the Tiruppur district border. Police arrested three men and seized around 170 kg of banned gutkha and other tobacco products from the vehicle, the police said.
Police team attempts to stop Karnataka-registered car
The incident took place between 5:45 am and 6:30 am when Velmurugan and sub-inspector V Vignesh conducted vehicle checks between Vilankurichi and Kalappatti.
Headconstable Velmurugan of Kovilpalayam police station in #Coimbatore clung onto the roof rails of an SUV for about 40 km as three men from Rajasthan tried escape from the police with over 250 kg of gutkha. The video was shot by the crew of an NHAI ambulance. @THChennai pic.twitter.com/7pAt9m4ZVd
— Wilson Thomas (@wilson__thomas) September 27, 2026
The police team tried to stop a Karnataka-registered car moving from Bengaluru. The occupants initially refused to stop but later slowed down. Police officers saw bundles in the rear of the vehicle and tried to search it, one witness said.
According to Velmurugan's account, the occupants pushed the policemen before shutting the vehicle doors and accelerating away.
The head constable said his hand was trapped in the door handle when the driver abruptly accelerated. He then grabbed the roof rails and pulled himself onto the roof of the moving vehicle.
The car continued towards Avinashi via Vilankurichi, Kalappatti Four Roads and Coimbatore Airport junction before turning towards Kaniyur Toll Plaza.
30 km chase ends near Thekkalur.
The suspects continued driving at high speed even while Velmurugan remained on the roof of the vehicle. A police car followed the car during the chase.
The vehicle then crossed Kaniyur Toll Plaza using the emergency lane and continued towards Avinashi.
At the same time, information on the chase was passed on to other police stations. Karumathampatti police joined the chase, ambulance drivers and other emergency personnel from the nearby regions came to assist. Avinashi police were also alerted and joined the operation.
The dramatic scene was witnessed by motorists along the route. Some of them shot video of the head constable in plain clothes clinging to the roof of the moving car. The footage then went viral on social media.
After nearly 30 km, the chase came to an end at Thekkalur near Avinashi. The car and its occupants stopped with police and ambulance vehicles around.
Two of the occupants of the vehicle attempted to flee from the vehicle. Police personnel searched the area and caught them.
Three arrested, 170 kg Gutkha seized
Police have identified the arrested men as P Babu Dhara, 27, of Chansur, Rajasthan; A Rajesh, 23, from Gundamanali, Marmeer, Rajasthan; and S Suresh, 20, from Jalor, Rajasthan.
According to police, the men were transporting around 170 kg of banned gutkha and tobacco products from Bengaluru in the car. The items were taken to Coimbatore and handed over to their associates in Coimbatore, they said.
Police seized the tobacco products and the vehicle used to transport them. They took the three men to Kovilpalayam police station for further investigation.
Police sources also said that two of the accused had suffered fractures to their arms when they tried to escape from the vehicle after it stopped, also the police said. The cause of those wounds was not explained in the report.
The investigation will be on the source of the banned tobacco products, intended recipients and alleged smuggling network operating between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
The unusual chase attracted much attention after videos of Velmurugan clinging to the vehicle had appeared online.
The head constable’s decision to remain on the vehicle apparently helped police prevent the suspects from escaping before other police teams could intercept them. Ambulance drivers and volunteers who assisted in the pursuit also received credit for their role.
The senior police officials and Tamil Nadu ministers K Vignesh and V Sampathkumar spoke to Velmurugan on the phone and appreciated the police personnel involved in the operation.
The case shows the problems law enforcement agencies face in bringing banned tobacco products across state borders. The alleged gutkha supply chain and others who might have been waiting for the seized consignment are being investigated, police said.
