Following the accident, public staged a protest against the BMTC. Police seized the bus within 30 minutes of the accident.
A Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) bus ran amok after its driver, reportedly an epileptic who suffered an attack, lost control over the vehicle and crushed two pedestrians to death and injured another person in NR Colony on Friday evening.
Police said that the bus driver, Nandish, would be arrested after he is discharged from the hospital.
Following the accident, public staged a protest against the BMTC. Police seized the bus within 30 minutes of the accident.
The deceased have been identified as college student Jaya, 20, a resident of Uttarahalli and housewife Mamatha, 42, a resident of Basavanagudi.
Jaya and Mamatha died when they were being taken to the hospital. Jaya was a BCom student of BNK College in Banashankari. The injured has been identified as Jaya’s collegemate Sheeba, 20.
She was admitted to Victoria Hospital.
Some of the bus passengers, who sustained minor injuries, were administered first aid at a nearby clinic.
The accident occurred around 6.10 pm when the bus (route number 31E), which was coming from Majestic, was on its way to Basavanagudi.
The vehicle first hit an electric pole before ramming into the footpath on IX Cross, NR Colony. It then rammed into a house and an eatery, police said. About 20 pedestrians were on the footpath when the bus rammed into the pavement. “The driver lost control over the bus. Chaos prevailed when the bus rammed into the footpath and people started running to save their lives,” said Ramana, an eyewitness.
“The driver forcibly pressed the accelerator. The bus hit two electric poles, but police rushed to the spot and asked the electricity department to switch off the power. The bus moved up to 60 metres on the footpath before coming to halt,” said V Ramaiah, deputy commissioner of traffic police (west).
Ramaiah and assistant commissioner of police traffic (south division) HK Jagadish visited the spot.
A case has been registered in Thyagarajanagar traffic police station.
No electricity
The accident left NR Colony without power as electric poles are situated on the footpath.
Alleging that the electric poles had been there for the past many years, agitated residents demanded that they be shifted from the present place.
They said more deaths could have occurred had electric wires fallen on anyone.
On December 23, 2010, another alleged epileptic BMTC driver had rammed his bus into a shop, killing three persons, at Vaishali Circle in Jayanagar.
The driver, identified as Narayanaswamy, was critically injured in the mishap.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}