Bus crushes biker who skidded on slippery road

A BMTC bus ran over a software engineer as his bike skidded on the slippery road in eastern Bengaluru’s Indiranagar during the rain on Monday night.

Sithanathan Chinnu, 35, was going to his residence in BTM Layout from his office in Bagmane Tech Park when the accident occurred at 8.20 pm. His wife, son and daughter — aged two and five respectively — live in his hometown Dindigul, Tamil Nadu.

It started to pour when Chinnu reached 100 Feet Road. Close to the SBI junction at the 9th Main, a BMTC bus veered left at the bus stop. Chinnu, riding left with his helmet on, applied breaks to avoid hitting the bus but the motorcycle skidded and he came under the rear wheel of the bus.

Halasuru traffic police personnel who rushed to the spot after passersby reported the accident found that the stretch had turned dangerously slippery as fruits and flowers falling from a raintree had turned mushy under the tyres of the passing vehicles.

“Heavy vehicles had crushed the fruits to leave a sticky spot that turned slippery in the rains, which caused Chinnu’s bike to skid,” said K V Jagadeesh, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic-East).

Chinnu died on the spot due to fatal injuries. His body was taken to the Bowring hospital and later handed over to his family who arrived from Dindigul.

BMTC driver booked

Police seized the vehicles involved in the accident and booked the BMTC driver for rash and negligent driving.

The crowd gathered near the accident spot told police that a few motorists skidded there when it began raining. A senior police officer said several rain trees had been planted on the sides of major roads since they grow faster and provide green cover.

“This is a natural thing that can’t be remedied,” M K Cholarajappa, Deputy Conservator of Forests, BBMP’s forest cell, said. “Bikers should regulate their speed at these spots and even pedestrians should watch out.”