BENGALURU: In yet another road accident due to a pothole, a 22-year-old youth died and his friend sustained serious injuries after their bike hit a car in a bid to avoid a pothole. The incident occurred on Royal Concorde Road in Attur Layout in Yalahanka on Saturday night. The car driver also sustained injuries in the incident as the vehicle toppled.
The deceased has been identified as Arshad, a resident of Jalahalli who hails from Kerala. His friend Rahul is undergoing treatment at a hospital. Both worked in a bakery in Attur Layout.
Police said the incident occurred while the duo was returning home after work. They had taken the Royal Concorde Road, which is in bad shape after heavy rains lashed the city recently. Rahul, who was riding the bike, tried to avoid a pothole but lost control of the vehicle. The car coming from the opposite direction hit the bike before toppling. While the car driver has minor injuries, Arshad and Rahul sustained serious injuries. They were rushed to a nearby hospital, where Arshad was declared brought dead.
“Both riders were not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident. Rahul has sustained head injuries and his condition is serious. As the accident was due to a pothole, we have also booked the BBMP officials concerned for negligence,” the Yalahanka traffic police said.
It is alleged that authorities tried to hush up the fact that the accident occurred due to the pothole. A local leader also allegedly reprimanded the police for telling the media that the incident was due to the pothole. He reportedly asked them to give a ‘clear picture’ of the incident and asked them to tell the accident was due to overspeeding.
BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath said potholes alone can’t be blamed for the mishap and the police should probe for overspeeding and drunk & drive angles.
The incident occurred when the October 17 incident in which a woman was killed. Uma Devi (47) was run over by a KSRTC bus while her daughter Vanitha lost control and fell from the vehicle due to a pothole near Sujatha Theatre. The Malleshwaram traffic police, however, had arrested and released the KSRTC driver but had not booked any BBMP official for negligence.