B'luru pothole death case: Corporation officer, truck driver arrested

Bengaluru, Dec 2 (IANS) The Karnataka Police have arrested a Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) engineer and a truck driver in connection with the death of a youth who fell off his bike while trying to avoid a pothole and came under the wheels of the truck, police said on Thursday. The police have also booked a case against the road contractor.

The arrested persons include: S. Savitha (34), an assistant executive engineer, Mahadevapura zone and R. Ravi (31), a truck driver and resident of Bidarahalli. Both the accused were booked for causing death due to negligence and rash and negligent driving.

B.R. Ravikanthe Gowda, Joint Commissioner for Traffic stated that BBMP AEE Savitha had acted in utter negligence by not ensuring that the pothole was filled. The fatal road accident resulting in the death of a youth is the result of an unattended pothole. Savitha has been arrested for causing death due to negligence, he added.

The incident had taken place on Saturday. Azeem Ahmed (21), a food delivery executive, while negotiating a pothole on Thanisandra Main Road, lost control and fell down on the road coming under a goods truck.

The incident had triggered a sharp criticism from the public and highlighted the plight of the Bengaluru roads and poor maintenance by the civic agency BBMP. In spite of the High Court taking the government to task and giving deadlines, potholes continue to be a death trap for vehicle riders, especially for two-wheelers.

Police stated that the contractor is yet to be identified. Azeem was the sole breadwinner for the family. Meanwhile, the BBMP was in a denial mode and told the police that the accident happened due to sudden application of brakes by the two-wheeler rider and also due to rash and negligent driving of the truck driver.

The civic agency has further told the police that the accident spot where the incident happened can't be considered as a pothole as civic works are underway near the accident spot. The police maintained that they will pursue the case and fight the case to prove negligence by the civic authority.