Bengaluru crash horror: Five youths told different stories at home before fatal ride; police probe criminal angle too

Bengaluru car crash

• Five youths died after car crashed into KSRTC bus near Bengaluru
• Overspeeding suspected; police probing alcohol and criminal angle
• Low road divider may have contributed to the fatal accident

Did our AI summary help?

Five young men, including two teenagers, lost their lives in a tragic road accident on Tumakuru Road on the outskirts of the city. The accident happened near Jindal Aluminium in Anchepalya on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday, and involved a car and a Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus.

According to the police, the accident occurred when a Tata Indica car was travelling from Nelamangala towards Bengaluru. As the car entered a flyover on the national highway, the driver allegedly lost control of the vehicle.

The car hit the road divider, jumped into the opposite lane, toppled several times, and finally crashed head-on into a KSRTC bus coming from the other direction.

The impact was extremely severe. The car was completely crushed, with major damage to its front and roof. Police said preliminary investigations suggest that overspeeding may have been the main reason behind the accident.

All five occupants of the car died on the spot. The deceased have been identified as Danush (17), Keshava (19), Durga Prasad (20), Harshith (20), and Lalith Kumar (23). All of them were residents of different parts of Doddaballapura in Bengaluru Rural district.

Police said Keshava was driving the car at the time of the accident. Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Karthik Reddy visited the accident site, even though the area falls under the jurisdiction of the Madanayakanahalli police station.

Families left devastated

The families of the victims are in deep shock. Harshith was a second-year BCom student at a private college, while Lalith worked as a CCTV technician. Lalith’s mother, Roopa, said he had told the family he was going to a temple and would return late.

Danush’s mother, Sunitha, said they learnt about the accident around 6 am Sunday. “He took me and my younger son to a bakery and bought us snacks. After we returned, he said he would step out for 10 minutes. We didn’t know he had gone out with friends in a car,” she said, adding that she knew only two of the other boys.

Bus driver and passengers escape

The KSRTC bus driver, Kemparaju, described the frightening moments during the crash. He said he saw the car cross the divider and ram into the bus at high speed.

“I saw the car cross the divider and crash into our bus. The windscreen shattered, and shards of glass pierced my face. I managed to apply the brakes in time, preventing further damage. There were 43 passengers on board, and a few sustained minor injuries. The impact was loud as the car was travelling at high speed, and the front portion of the bus was damaged,” Kemparaju was quoted by TOI as saying.

Alcohol test and criminal background

Police have collected blood samples from the deceased and sent them to the Forensic Science Laboratory to check whether the driver was under the influence of alcohol. Officers are also verifying the background of the youths.

Senior police officials said that a few among the five were allegedly involved in theft cases in the past. However, it is not yet clear who exactly had a criminal record. “We are still checking police records. We are also not sure whether they were out for a joyride or for some other reason,” an officer said.

The accident spot does not have CCTV coverage. Police have been instructed to check cameras installed in nearby buildings to gather more details.

Poor divider design raises safety concerns

During inspection, police found that the road divider at the spot was only six inches high and did not have a metal crash barrier. Officers said such a low divider may have contributed to the car crossing into the opposite lane.

Authorities concerned will be informed about the need to install proper safety barriers. If the divider is found to be below safety standards, officials responsible may be issued a notice.