Traffic police violate ‘zero tolerance zone’, one killed on MG Road

Traffic police violate ‘zero tolerance zone’, one killed on MG Road
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: The police can add themselves to the list of culprits involved in road accident deaths in the city. The driver of a police tow truck cut across the yellow line on MG Road, a ‘Zero Tolerance Zone’, killing a motorcyclist in the small hours of Sunday.

The incident took place near Lakeview ice cream parlour around 2.35 a.m. The police towing vehicle was called in to tow away a scooter which was involved in a collision with a car. The scooter rider was injured and shifted to a hospital while his vehicle was damaged.

The towing vehicle hitched up the scooter and the traffic assistant sub-inspector directed the driver Ramakrishna to take a U-turn on MG Road to go towards Cauvery Emporium junction.

However, as the driver cut across the road, a motorcycle coming from Anil Kumble Circle lost control and rammed the diesel tank of the ‘‘Tiger’’. The rider Abhilash (22), was severely injured in the head and rushed to Bowring hospital where he died around 3.50 a.m. He was a resident of Jayanagar VI Block and an employee of Mandovi Motors. The pillion rider Umesh (27) has been admitted to NIMHANS.

A case of negligence has been registered against the police driver Ramakrishna, who is attached to City Armed Reserve.

This is the not the first mishap on MG Road at late hours. A few months ago, a speeding car had rammed into the vehicle of a popular Kannada actor which was parked outside the ice cream parlour.

Except for vigorous drunken driving checks on the weekends, the traffic police hardly check speeding vehicles at night. Drag races are a regular event on the stretch and motorcycle riders pulling wheelies and other stunts are a common sight in the late hours.