Screengrab of the car pulling along the motorbike.
Credit: Special arrangement
Bengaluru: Panic gripped commuters on the Sumanahalli flyover in southwestern Bengaluru on Wednesday evening as a drunk SUV driver rammed into a motorcycle and dragged the two-wheeler for nearly half a kilometre, with sparks flying from the asphalt.
The driver, Srinivas K V (38), a wine shop owner from Kunigal, was allegedly driving his Hyundai Creta registered 'KA 06 MC 8559' under the influence of alcohol.
According to police, the incident occurred around 7:15 pm when Srinivas, heading towards Sunkadakatte, rear-ended a Royal Enfield Bullet ridden by Rohit S near Sattva Apartment.
The impact threw Rohit off his motorcycle, causing injuries to his chest, legs and hands. However, instead of stopping, Srinivas allegedly sped away with the motorcycle still lodged firmly under the front bumper of the SUV.
Eyewitnesses described a harrowing scene on social media as the SUV sped towards Nayandahalli, dragging the heavy motorcycle for 500 metres.
Mobile phone footage captured by fellow motorists showed a trail of sparks illuminating the dark flyover as the metal scraped against the road. Despite loud shouts and honking from other commuters, the driver refused to pull over.
Police said that the chase ended near Nayandahalli Junction, where angry commuters managed to intercept the vehicle and block its path. The crowd reportedly pulled Srinivas out of the car and assaulted him before smashing the SUV's windshield.
A team from the Kamakshipalya police arrived at the spot and took Srinivas into custody. A subsequent breath-alyser test confirmed that his blood alcohol levels were well above the legal limit.
During interrogation, Srinivas reportedly confessed to consuming alcohol, citing "personal problems." He claimed he was unaware the motorcycle was stuck to his car.
"I panicked after the initial collision. I thought the people shouting were just warning me about the accident, so I tried to flee," he told the police.
"The accused drove in a rash and negligent manner, endangering multiple lives. He also reportedly hit another car and a motorbike while attempting to escape the trailing crowd," a senior police officer said.
The Kamakshipalya police have registered an FIR under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Motor Vehicles Act for drunk driving, rash endangerment and causing hurt.