Father of bike crash victim files plaint against NHAI

The father of an 18-year-old girl who died in a bike crash on the expressway near Yelahanka on Tuesday has filed a complaint against NHAI officials and his daughter’s male friend.

Saheba A Sahera alias Sana Saheba, a resident of Chinnappa Garden in Benson Town, died in the crash, while her seriously injured 18-year-old friend Jishan, who resides in JC Nagar, is receiving treatment.

In a complaint filed with the Yelahanka Traffic Police, Sana’s father Mohammed Eqbal accused Jishan of riding his KTM Duke motorbike rashly with Sana on the pillion. Jishan lost control riding on the flyover near the bypass signal and slammed into the median.

On impact, Sana’s helmet unstrapped, and her head hit the metal beam crash barrier. She died of severe head and ear injuries.

The median sawed Jishan’s right hand and sliced his abdomen.

Sana is a second-year PUC student in a private college, while Jishan assists his father in a gas stove repair shop.

Eqbal blamed Jishan’s rash riding and incomplete roadwork by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for the crash. He listed NHAI’s project director, deputy manager, manager–Technical Cell, assistant engineer, and contractor in his complaint.

Yelahanka Traffic Police have registered a case under the Control of National Highways (Land and Traffic) Act, 2002, and under IPC Sections 279 (rash driving/riding on a public way), 304A (causing death by negligence), and 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others).

“Based on the complaint filed by the girl’s father, we have taken up the case,” said B R Ravikanthe Gowda, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic). He said only half of the median crash barrier was completed.

When DH sought comments from M K Wathore, NHAI’s regional officer for Bengaluru, he said he was not aware of the crash and will comment only after getting all the relevant details.