Bengaluru: The sheer laxity in maintaining Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) buses claimed the lives of two PU students after one of its buses mowed them down on Mysuru Road on Tuesday morning.
The accident occurred around 8 am near Gopalan Mall in Byatarayanapura traffic police limits when Chandrakanta (17) and Yadu Kumar S.Y. (18), students of BBMP Kasturba PU College, KB Nagar on Mysuru Road and residents of Bangarappagudda in RR Nagar, were waiting on the footpath near the KSRTC Satellite bus-stand to cross the road.
The BMTC bus, coming from Mysuru Road and heading towards Kempegowda Bus Stand in Majestic, hit them after the brakes failed. The two died on the spot.
The police said that Chandrakanth was a first-year pre-university student, while Yadu Kumar was a second-year PU student. Both were pursuing commerce. While Chandrakanta worked part-time at Gopalan
Mall, his mother works as a domestic help. Yadu Kumar delivered morning newspapers before attending college.
Eyewitnesses said that the bus suddenly ran over the footpath and hit the boys. It seemed the driver had lost control of the vehicle. The badly injured students were rushed to Victoria Hospital where the doctors declared them brought dead.
As the news of the accident spread, students of BBMP Kasturba College and families of the deceased protested on Mysuru Road, demanding action against those responsible for the accident.
Ironically, the driver of the bus had reported to the BMTC a week ago that the brakes of the bus needed to be replaced. But the brakes were only cleaned and not changed and the driver was asked to drive slowly, sources said. The bus had done nearly five lakh kilometres.
The Byatrayanapura traffic police have registered a case and are investigating.
Compensation for deceased
Mayor Gangambike Mallikarjun announced a compensation of '10 lakh for both families of the deceased.
