Pothole claims young woman’s life

Father of Sindhuja, who was riding pillion, was booked for ‘negligent’ riding; protests staged near KSRTC bus stand
Pothole claims young woman’s life

CHIKKAMAGALURU: A young life was snuffed out by potholes near Chikkamagaluru on Sunday. Ironically, the father who was riding the motorcycle with his daughter as pillion, has been booked for ‘negligent’ riding.

After completing her engineering in Computer Sciences, 23-year-old Sindhuja was looking forward to joining technology behemoth TCS in Bengaluru. She had got the job offer in the campus interview and was preparing to start working in the firm in two days.

The tragedy occurred when Sindhuja was on her way to the rural police station for passport verification. Sindhuja’s father Kumarappa, an employee in the Fire and Emergency Department, was taking her  on his motorcycle when he lost control over the vehicle while trying to avoid a pothole near Kuppenahalli Gate on the Kadur-Mangaluru highway (KM Road). The motorcycle skidded and Sindhuja fell down and sustained severe head injuries. Kumarappa also sustained injuries. The local people rushed the father and the daughter to District Hospital immediately. However, Sindhuja succumbed to the injuries at the hospital after a few minutes.

The police have registered a case against Kumarappa, who is in hospital, for negligent riding.
Meanwhile, local residents and Congress workers staged a protest against the authorities for their failure to undertake road repair works.

Road users and the public have blamed the PWD and the people’s representatives for not taking up repair of the stretch of KM Road -- from Dantramakki Tank bund to the APMC.  The road is ridden with deep potholes all along the stretch, posing danger to motorists. Earlier, the authorities had patched up the potholes with soil. But the unprecedented rain this monsoon season had almost washed away the road.   
Suresh, owner of Basaveshwara Mess, told TNIE that the road was in a pathetic condition due to heavy movement of vehicles.

JD(S) state vice president H H Devaraj criticised the police for registering a case against the father instead of booking cases against the contractors, engineers and the district-in charge minister. He urged the government to release Rs 25 lakh to the girl’s family. he also demanded that the road be repaired within a month.

Meanwhile, the Congress staged a protest near the KSRTC bus stand condemning district in charge and Tourism Minister C T Ravi, who hails from the district, for his statement on road repairs. During Karnataka Rajyotsava, Ravi told the media that the road could not be repaired until the rains stopped.
Reacting to the allegations, minister Ravi told The NewIndian Express,  “In the six and a half year rule, the Congress government did nothing to develop the road. It is true that NH passes through my constituency. A sum of Rs 2 crore is sanctioned and work is under way from Kadur side. I got KM Road asphalted and even after seven years, the Kadur -Chikkamagaluru Road is in good condition. But to due to heavy rain this year, the road is damaged . It will be repaired. Sindhuja’s death is unfortunate. It was an accident. By politicising the tragedy, the Congress has  shown its mean mindedness. I will try to get compensation to the girl’s family.”

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