Bengaluru: Heavy vehicles that breakdown in the middle of city roads are not only causing traffic snarls, but are also snuffing out the lives of commuters.
A 39-year-old software engineer paid with his life for the negligence of two BMTC buses – one broken down, parked and left unattended, while the other being driven rashly – near the crowded Marathahalli Bridge in the city on Friday morning. The unsuspecting bike rider, Srinivasalu M., was caught between and was crushed to death when the speeding bus crashed into the stationary vehicle.
Srinivasalu was a resident of Ramamurthy Nagar and worked at Juniper Networks, Prestige Tech Park on Outer Ring Road in Marathahalli. On Wednesday morning, he reached the Innovative Multiplex Complex while on his way to work. In front of him was the parked BMTC bus (KA-01 FA 1049) that had broken down. Srinivasalu had stopped his bike to take the right turn to join the traffic when the other BMTC bus (KA-01 F-8813) that was speeding crashed into the rear of the parked bus. Srinivasalu, who was caught between the two buses, died instantly. “The BMTC bus driver who caused the accident jumped out and fled,” an eyewitness, Venkat, who was waiting for a cab nearby, told Deccan Chronicle.
“After the accident, the victim’s body remained at the same spot for nearly 20 minutes. We did not know whether he was dead or alive, but he was motionless, and there was no one trying to help him” Venkat said.
“At last, I sat in the driver’s seat of the broken down bus and asked people to push it forward so that Srinivasalu could be freed,” Venkat said.
“Many passersby, instead of rushing the victim to the hospital, were seen clicking photos and videos on their mobiles. Only a few women staff members from in Prestige Tech Park came to help,” he said.
An ambulance rushed Srinivasulu to a nearby hospital, where he was declared brought dead. His body was shifted to Bowring Hospital for the postmortem, and Venkat informed Srinivasulu’s colleagues and family using the victim’s phone.
“Srinivasalu was wearing a helmet at the time of accident. He was a responsible bike rider who advised all of his friends to be careful,” said his friend Sathish Babu, who is also a techie.
“Srinivasalu, who hailed from Nellore, was a calm and quiet person. He shifted to Bengaluru in 2002. He got married in 2006 and has an eight-year-old daughter and four-year-old son. He was the sole breadwinner of his family,” his colleagues said.
“As the accident was purely due to the negligence of two BMTC buses, the corporation should compensate his family adequately,” said Venkat.
