Fatal accident averted to save top Police Officer
Readers may remember the passing away of Sri. P. S. Chellappa, IPS, Director-General of Police (Retd.) at Bangalore, a few months back. But only some would know him as a regular visitor to Sri Sai Spiritual Centre, being a staunch devotee of Guru Radhakrishna Swamiji and Sai Baba. How he came into contact with Swamiji at the heights of Venkatachala is an interesting account.
Sri M. Bhuchandran, Retd. DIG and Addl. Director, Railway Board, now residing at Chennai, was celebrating his son's wedding at Alermeiumangapuram years back, when he was No.2 in R.P.F. I had accompanied Swamiji. Participating in the wedding were among others Sri Chellappa, who was the RPF Chief then and his wife. After the 'muhurtham', Sri and Smt. Chellappa started by car, driven by a constable, for darshan of Lord Srinivasa. Swamiji and I were taken by another car. Swamiji instructed our driver immediately to closely follow Sri Chellappa's speeding Ambassador.
After negotiating several gradients of Thirumala Hills, the first car suddenly dashed against the parapet wall, its front wheels jetting out of the wall and stopped. Swamiji, our driver and I rushed and managed to open the back door of the car. Sri Chellappa and his wife got out of the car in a dazed condition, but without a scratch. The car was also put back on the road, and all of us had wonderful darshan of Lord Srinivasa, driving away from our minds the thought of the fatal accident which had been averted. Needless to say Swamiji was offering prayer right from the time we started the journey.
Sri and Smt. Chellappa were coming to meet Swamiji at SSSC often since then. Sri Chellappa continued to visit the Mandir occasionally, till his death. His wife had predeceased him.
By R. Seshadri
(Source: Sai Paadam Magazine)
