Elderly women injured in accident

Three pedestrians, including two elderly women, sustained serious injuries when a school van hit them after allegedly being struck by a speeding BMTC bus from behind, near Johnson Market on Hosur Road, on Friday.

The injured are Kunjamma, 60, a resident of BTM Layout, Annamma, 75, of Koramangala, and Joyce, 26, a nurse at a private hospital in Jayanagar. While the condition of Kunjamma is said to be critical, Annamma and Joyce were treated as outpatients at a private hospital.

The three women, who knew each other, had attended a Friday prayer in the afternoon at St Gregorios Orthodox Cathedral near the Market around 12.30 pm and they were crossing the road when the accident occurred, said the Ashok Nagar police.

As the vehicles stopped at a traffic signal close to the Church, the women were making way for themselves between a school van and a car. A speeding BMTC bus (340/Shivajinagar-Parangipalya) hit the school van from behind and the women were sandwiched between the van and the car, said the police. The public rushed the women to a nearby private hospital.

While the school van driver drove off immediately, BMTC bus driver Shivashankarappa abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene.

However, he surrendered himself before the police who have booked him under Sections 279 and 337 of IPC for rash and negligent driving.