Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, April 17: An FIR has been registered against three individuals in connection with the tragic death of an autorickshaw driver at the Yelahanka Kogilu Junction in Bengaluru, where a Metro girder viaduct fell from a truck, crushing the vehicle.
The incident occurred on Tuesday and involved a girder being transported for the under-construction Bengaluru Metro airport line. The massive concrete structure fell off an 18-wheeler truck while it was navigating a turn at Kogilu Cross. As the trailer separated from the truck’s cabin, the girder collapsed onto the road, fatally striking the autorickshaw.
The deceased has been identified as Kasim Saab, a resident of Hegde Nagar. According to family sources, Saab had purchased the new autorickshaw just 20 days prior after securing a loan from a private finance firm. At the time of the incident, he was ferrying a passenger towards Nagawara. It is believed the passenger had just alighted moments before the accident occurred.
The autorickshaw was completely mangled under the weight of the girder. Saab, who was trapped inside, was extricated using a crane and rushed to hospital but was declared dead upon arrival.
Following a complaint filed by the deceased’s father-in-law, Syed Khader, the Yelahanka Traffic Police have registered a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Sections 281 (dangerous driving) and 106 (causing death by negligence). The FIR has named the truck driver, the project contractor, and a manager from Nagarjuna Construction Company (NCC).
The girder was being transported from the Wadiyarpura casting yard for the ongoing airport Metro line being developed by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL).
In a statement issued on Wednesday, BMRCL expressed deep regret over the incident and offered condolences to the bereaved family, assuring that compensation would be provided as per protocol. The agency also pledged to implement strict safety measures to prevent such incidents in future.
Soon after the incident, local residents and bystanders rushed to the spot in an attempt to assist. Delays in the arrival of the crane led to growing frustration among the crowd, and some resorted to stone pelting, according to sources. Police managed to bring the situation under control before the rescue equipment arrived.
The tragic accident has once again raised concerns over safety lapses in the Metro construction work. Locals criticised BMRCL for negligence, pointing to previous incidents that had resulted in casualties.
This is not the first such tragedy in the city. On January 10, 2023, a woman software engineer and her toddler were killed in HBR Layout when an under-construction Metro pier collapsed onto a motorbike carrying their family. In that case, the Bengaluru Police filed charges against ten individuals, including four BMRCL officials and representatives from NCC.
The current investigation is ongoing, and authorities are expected to pursue accountability for the safety breach that led to Saab’s death.