Bus runs over underage rider, friend in Bangalore

An attempt to outpace other vehicles by breaking the rules proved fatal for two teenagers. Riding a scooter, they landed under the front wheels of a Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) bus in Koramangala on Friday.

The two, identified as Ashwin Raghuram, a resident of Begur, and Gaurav Sureka, a resident of L&T South City, were killed instantly. Aged 16, they were first year PUC students of Sri Bhagawan Mahaveer Jain College in Jayanagar.

The tragic incident occurred at 3.35 pm near the Indoor Stadium bus stand in Koramangala, when the duo was on its way towards Bannerghatta Road. Gaurav, who was riding the two-wheeler, tried to overtake the BMTC bus, which was plying from MG Road to Electronics City.

The scooter, owned by Ashwin, was beside the bus and a three-wheeler carrying goods was ahead of it.

Gaurav sneaked past the bus by taking the scooter through the narrow passage left between the three-wheeler and the bus. When Gaurav took a sudden left turn, the bus driver was caught unawares and failed to apply the brake, according to
Rajappa, a witness.

After being hit by the bus, Gaurav and pillion rider Ashwin fell on the road. The bus then ran over the duo. Police said that the two sustained serious injuries and died instantly.

Four friends of the two were following them in an autorickshaw. “We tried to call Ashwin over phone, but some other person received the call and told us about the incident,” said Abhinav B, a friend of the deceased.

The bus driver Nandeesh and conductor fled the spot. Police are yet to nab Nandeesh. Witnesses said that the Ambulance 108 took 15 minutes to reach the spot. Mukunda, another witness, said that despite being informed about the incident, Adugodi traffic police took over 20 minutes to reach the spot.

Police shifted the bodies to Victoria Hospital and seized the BMTC bus, before clearing the crowd from the accident spot. The bodies have been kept in the Victoria Hospital mortuary.

Post-mortem examination will be conducted on Saturday. Adugodi traffic police have registered a case.

Followed same subjects, fate
Ashwin, the son of Raghuram, a superintendent in the excise department and Suguna, an employee in a nationalised bank. He has a sister. Gaurav, hailing from North India, is the son of Narayan Sureka, who works in Delhi, and Rachi Sureka. His sister Sweta Sureka and relatives stay in Bangalore.

The two were first year PUC students in Sri Bhagawan Mahaveer Jain College in Jayanagar.

The commerce students had taken accounts, business studies, mathematics and statistics as their subjects.