Woman killed, 9 injured as truck sets off serial accident

A 28-year-old woman died instantly and nine people were injured in a serial accident set off by a sand-laden truck at Kottigepalya, off Magadi Road, on Monday. One of the injured is critical.

Two auto-rickshaws, three bikes and a car were damaged in the accident which brought traffic to a halt as a large number of people gathered at the spot, the police said. The accident took place around 7.30 pm at Kottigepalya bus stop near Sumanahalli junction.

The truck, moving towards Sumanahalli, went on hitting other vehicles, DCP (West-Traffic) S Girish told Deccan Herald. The driver claimed that he lost control over the truck, saying its brake had given way.

Munirathna, an eyewitness, narrated the accident thus: “I was waiting for a bus when I saw the truck hurtling in zigzags towards us. We immediately ran to safety. Within seconds, the truck rammed some auto-rickshaws, a car and a few bikes. It then moved up a footpath, hit the central median and turned upside down.”

Some local people rushed towards the auto-rickshaw which was ripped apart in the accident. Lakshmamma, a homemaker from Laggere who was travelling in the auto-rickshaw, died instantly of grievous injuries while the driver was gasping for breath. Police soon arrived at the spot and called five ambulances to take the injured to hospital.

Among the injured is Bheemanna, 65, who is battling for life. The eight other injured are out of danger but under treatment in three private hospitals on Magadi Road, according to the police. Most of the injured were in the auto-rickshaws, bikes and the car which were hit by the truck. Some of them were crossing the road.

The truck driver, Mallikarjunaiah, tried to escape but the police caught him. “During interrogation, he claimed that the accident occurred as the brake of his truck gave way,” the DCP added.

The accident caused bumper-to-bumper traffic on the busy Magadi Road. Vehicles piled up to two kilometres. Police called an earthmover which cleared the vehicles from the road. Traffic was restored around 9.30 pm.

283 auto drivers booked
The City traffic police on Monday conducted a surprise drive against auto-rickshaw drivers found violating norms and overcharging passengers.

The drive was conducted at Jayanagar, Banashankari, Kumaraswamy Layout, Basavanagudi and Chamarajpet areas, where residents had made several complaints to the police about auto drivers refusing to ferry people to their destinations and extorting extra fare from passengers.

“The drive began around 6 am and concluded around 8.30 am. The police registered cases against 283 autorickshaw drivers and seized 156 autorickshaws,” DCP (West-traffic) S Girish said.

The police have decided to address letters to the Regional Transport Authorities recommending suspension of driving licences of the erring drivers. They have also decided to continue surprise raids.