Pvt bus mows down 15-yr-old boy in Bengaluru, locals block road

Bengaluru: A 15-year-old boy was killed on the spot after being mowed down by a private bus on the Hennur-Bagalur Main Road on Friday morning.

The incident sparked massive protests by residents and family members, who blamed the ongoing white-topping work and poor road planning, for the fatal accident.

The victim, Varun, a Class 9 student, who had recently cleared his exams, was the son of a local resident.

According to the police, the accident occurred around 11.45 am, when Varun was returning home, fetching water from a local RO plant.

With his father reportedly unwell, the teenager had stepped out to help with household chores.

Following the accident, angry locals and relatives of the deceased staged a road block protest, demanding accountability from civic officials and the private bus operator.

The protest led to a massive gridlock on the Bagalur stretch, with traffic backed up for over a kilometre.

The Hennur Traffic Police rushed to the spot, seized the private bus and took its driver Imran Khan into custody.

Residents alleged that the tragedy was a direct result of the delayed white-topping work, which has narrowed the motorable path and forced pedestrians into the path of speeding vehicles.

"The white-topping work has been dragging on for a year. Drivers, frustrated by constant traffic jams, try to speed through narrow gaps, making it a death trap for children," alleged a family friend.

Protesters also questioned why the RO water plant was situated across a dangerous main road, forcing residents to cross amidst heavy airport-bound traffic.

The Hennur Traffic Police have registered a case and are verifying the CCTV footage to investigate the bus driver's negligence.