City's killer roads claim college girl's life
College girl run over by tipper
Students at the college were in a state of shock after Susan Thomas was killed while crossing the road.
Deccan Herald
A second year BCom student from Mount Carmel College was killed after being run over by a tipper in front of the college at 3.50 pm on Saturday. The deceased, Susan Sara Thomas (19), was a resident of the college hostel. She was run over while crossing the road by a tipper belonging to Ranka Builders. The firm is constructing a building near the college. The gruesome sight of Susan’s body, splayed out on the road, created panic, especially among other girls from the hostel.
One girl fell unconscious after seeing Susan’s body and had to be attended to by other girls. Susan was on her way to tuition classes in accounts in Vasanthnagar when the accident occurred. Susan’s parents, who live in Dubai, have been informed about the accident. They are expected to arrive in the City at 5.00 am on Sunday. Susan, a Keralite, was herself an NRI before joining Mount Carmel.
The body has been kept in the Bowring Hospital morgue. Details of the funeral will be decided on after the parents arrive.
“It’s a terrible shock,” Mount Carmel College Principal Sister Jesuina said. She described Susan as a nice girl. She said, however, that she did not know Susan personally.
Susan was a student of travel and tourism. Her maternal aunt is her guardian in Bangalore. The principal said the girls in the hostel were “shaken”. A prayer meeting was also held in the hostel on Saturday.
Sister Jesuina said Ranka Builders had, after an accident in June last year, been asked by the authorities concerned not to ply lorries on the road. “It is a violation. Action should be taken against them,” she said. The college had closed at 1.00 pm.
posted by The Bangalorean @ 12/19/2004 07:33:00 AM
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CARMEL TEACHERS STUDENTS PROTEST
BANGALORE: It was a show of strength: Over 4,000 students, teachers and staffers of Mount Carmel College took to the streets on Monday against the apathy of authorities towards traffic conditions near their college.
On Saturday evening, Susan Sarah Thomas (19), a II-year degree student, was crushed to death by a speeding truck outside the college gate. The truck had come onto the road from a construction site adjacent to the college. The students had made repeated requests to the traffic police and other authorities to regulate the movement of heavy traffic vehicles in the area, specially after another college student was injured by a truck a few months ago.
On Monday, students and teachers expressed outrage over the authorities’ neglect and even sought action against the construction site builders and those operating HTVs during college hours. Shouting slogans, students displayed banners and placards demanding proper regulation of traffic on the stretch, and vented their by throwing eggs on the display boards of construction firms.
An office-bearer of the Mount Carmel College Student Government said the entire student body and faculty took part in the protest from 10 am to 12.30 pm.
"After petitioning the police a few months back, they did ban trucks during college hours, but that lasted only for a week. HTVs continue to pose a danger on the stretch," she said.
The truck that mowed down Susan had carried construction material to an apartment complex coming up adjacent to the campus. While the college had requested construction firms to stop plying trucks during college hours, another controversy arose after the firm put up a board with objectionable material.
The builders had advertised, among other facilities, 'interesting neighbours’ with pictures of two women. Students and teachers objected to this, following which the board was removed. Mount Carmel College principal Sr M. Jesuina said the main problem was trucks plying during college hours. "Several petitions have been made through the college. We also submitted our demands on Monday, seeking safety measures for students."
Traffic woes in the area piled up after one-ways were introduced on some surrounding roads, and also after three buildings came up in the area. Though the police maintain trucks are still not allowed during college hours, traffic nonetheless has increased on the stretch. Senior police officers, including additional commissioner K.V.R. Tagore and DCP traffic (east) M.A. Saleem, promised the protesting students to take "necessary action".
Susan’s funeral held Susan’s funeral service was held on Monday at the St Mary’s Church on Queen’s Road. She was buried at the Hosur Road cemetery. Many friends and collegemates attended the funeral along with the girl's family. Her father Thomas Kurien, a customs officer, his wife and eldest daughter arrived in Bangalore on Sunday. The High Grounds police have arrested truck driver Rajashekaran (35) of Namakkal for the accident.
PROTECT OUR LIVES... Students of Mount Carmel College in Bangalore staging a dharna outside the college on Monday urging the police to ensure their safety. The protest was held following the death of a second-year BCom student of the college, Susan Sara Thomas, who was run over by a truck on Saturday.
ANGRY CARMALITES DEMAND SAFETY
The students said not only was the road unsafe in terms of traffic but they also had to face eve-teasing.
BANGALORE, DHNS:
Students of Mount Carmel College took to the streets on Monday, urging the police to take measures to ensure their safety.
Angered by the death of Susan Sara Thomas (19), a second year B Com student who was killed by a recklessly-driven truck in front of the college on Saturday, Carmelites sat in dharna on the service road outside the college campus all Monday morning. Susan was run over by a tipper belonging to Ranka Builders, while crossing the road. Ranka Builders are constructing a building, beside the college.
The demands of the students are: ban movement of heavy motor vehicles during college hours ; a pedestrian crossing ; shift the autorickshaw stand in front of the college ; stop the ongoing constructions around the college; and post policemen in front of the all girls’ college.
Susan’s death is not the only incident that prompted the students to demand a ban on the movement of heavy motor vehicles in the area. Earlier this year, another student had fractured her leg after being hit by a truck. The students complained of eve-teasing by youth. To keep away miscreants, they sought police presence around the area.
They criticised the traffic police for being negligent towards their demands, as they had not taken action despite students submitting a petition to them in this regard several months ago. The protesters refused to withdraw their dharna till Police Commissioner S Mariswamy visited the college. However, additional commissioner of police (traffic) K V R Tagore and DCP (Traffic - East Zone) M A Saleem visited the spot and spoke to them. The students withdrew their protest only after getting the assurance that their demands will be met.
As a fall-out of the protest, later, police shifted the autorickshaw stand, painted pedestrian crossing, and posted a policeman to control traffic. Speaking to Deccan Herald, Mr Saleem said, “We cannot stop building construction. However, trucks are banned on the road. There are three buildings under construction in the area and builders have taken special permission to ferry supplies and materials in trucks till construction is completed. We will allow trucks only during night, between 10 pm and 6 am.”
Susan’s parents, who have come from Dubai, performed her funeral on Monday. ACP (Traffic Central) Lakshman Singh said the driver was still at large.
BEAT AND CHASE
“Beat and chase them. We are with you” - this is the advice given by Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic and Security) K V R Tagore to the students of Mount Carmel College when they complained about eve-teasing.
STUDENTS DEMAND BAN ON LORRIES NEAR CAMPUS
BANGALORE, DEC. 20. Anger, grief and frustration manifested on the streets near Mount Carmel College here as over 2,500 students on Monday protested against the death of their 19-year-old college mate, Susan Sara, who was mowed down by a tipper-lorry on Saturday. They raised slogans against the entry of lorries in the area during working hours; they demanded immediate action from the authorities concerned.
The atmosphere near the college was charged; some students were in tears and some in a state of shock. With classes called off and the college union determined to express its anger, the turnout for the protest was huge. The crowd carried large banners screaming slogans against a construction company that engaged the truck, which ran over Susan.
The students wanted the Commissioner of Police, S. Mariswamy, to hear them.
Tension
There was tension as some students threw eggs and tomatoes at the construction site and brought down the builder's signboards. The Additional Commissioner of Police, K.V. Ravindranath Tagore, visited the spot. He said it was against rules to allow lorries close to the campus during college hours.
But this did not pacify the students. They wanted an assurance in writing from the Police Commissioner to appoint a constable to regulate traffic in the area and take action against those harassing students of the college. "This protest is staged because the Police Commissioner did not respond to a students' petition in August. The students approached him after a first year pre-university student, Shruthi, fractured her leg in a road accident involving a lorry," said Kripa, pre-university course students' leader.
Mr. Tagore assured the students that the police would consider their petition and order an investigation.
He promised to take action against the builders who had let in the trucks on the service road outside the campus during college hours. A police officer at the spot drew attention to the construction activity going on the campus and the presence of lorries there.
But the degree college principal, Sister Jesuina said those lorries were allowed only early in the morning and after college hours.
"Not a single pebble has been hurt so far because of the construction," she said.
Traffic was disrupted on all roads leading to the college for about three hours. Vehicle-users and traffic constables had a tough time dealing with the chaos.
Funeral
The accident victim, Susan Sara's body was taken to St. Mary's Syrian Christian Orthodox Church for a funeral service on Monday. The body was later shifted to the Hosur Road cemetery for burial. Her father, Kurian Thomas, a customs officer based in Dubai, mother, Moni Thomas, and other relatives were at the funeral. Hundreds of students from Mount Carmel College were with Susan's parents to share their grief.
Kurian Thomas, father of Susan Sara, was inconsolable in Bangalore on Monday at the funeral service held at St. Mary's Christian Syrian Orthodox Church. Moni Thomas, mother of the girl, her two sisters Nishi Thomas (Elder) and Anna Thomas (Younger) and other close relatives were among the large number of mourners at the service.
STUDENTS DEMAND BAN ON LORRIES NEAR CAMPUS
BANGALORE, DEC. 20. Anger, grief and frustration manifested on the streets near Mount Carmel College here as over 2,500 students on Monday protested against the death of their 19-year-old college mate, Susan Sara, who was mowed down by a tipper-lorry on Saturday. They raised slogans against the entry of lorries in the area during working hours; they demanded immediate action from the authorities concerned.
The atmosphere near the college was charged; some students were in tears and some in a state of shock. With classes called off and the college union determined to express its anger, the turnout for the protest was huge. The crowd carried large banners screaming slogans against a construction company that engaged the truck, which ran over Susan.
The students wanted the Commissioner of Police, S. Mariswamy, to hear them.
Tension
There was tension as some students threw eggs and tomatoes at the construction site and brought down the builder's signboards. The Additional Commissioner of Police, K.V. Ravindranath Tagore, visited the spot. He said it was against rules to allow lorries close to the campus during college hours.
But this did not pacify the students. They wanted an assurance in writing from the Police Commissioner to appoint a constable to regulate traffic in the area and take action against those harassing students of the college. "This protest is staged because the Police Commissioner did not respond to a students' petition in August. The students approached him after a first year pre-university student, Shruthi, fractured her leg in a road accident involving a lorry," said Kripa, pre-university course students' leader.
Mr. Tagore assured the students that the police would consider their petition and order an investigation.
He promised to take action against the builders who had let in the trucks on the service road outside the campus during college hours. A police officer at the spot drew attention to the construction activity going on the campus and the presence of lorries there.
But the degree college principal, Sister Jesuina said those lorries were allowed only early in the morning and after college hours.
"Not a single pebble has been hurt so far because of the construction," she said.
Traffic was disrupted on all roads leading to the college for about three hours. Vehicle-users and traffic constables had a tough time dealing with the chaos.
Funeral
The accident victim, Susan Sara's body was taken to St. Mary's Syrian Christian Orthodox Church for a funeral service on Monday. The body was later shifted to the Hosur Road cemetery for burial. Her father, Kurian Thomas, a customs officer based in Dubai, mother, Moni Thomas, and other relatives were at the funeral. Hundreds of students from Mount Carmel College were with Susan's parents to share their grief.
Kurian Thomas, father of Susan Sara, was inconsolable in Bangalore on Monday at the funeral service held at St. Mary's Christian Syrian Orthodox Church. Moni Thomas, mother of the girl, her two sisters Nishi Thomas (Elder) and Anna Thomas (Younger) and other close relatives were among the large number of mourners at the service.
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