Three persons were mowed down by a speeding state-run Road Transport Corporation bus in Gachibowli, Hyderabad on Monday. The incident took place at 6.40 am when they were crossing the road. Police said that the bus plying from Lingampally to Koti was traveling at a high speed and didn’t slow down at the junction even when the pedestrians were crossing the Gachibowli junction and ran over them.
The three persons died on the spot. The victims were identified as Janardhan, a native of Bengaluru, Dasarath, a resident of Nanakramguda and Hamid. The bus driver fled from the scene following the accident. Police have shifted the bodies of the victims to Osmania General Hospital for autopsy.
Speaking to TNM, Raidurgam Inspector, Ram Babu said, “Locals said that the bus driver was driving rashly and mowed them down when they were crossing the road. Fearing being assaulted by the crowd, the bus driver escaped. We have filed a case against him.”
Ram Babu said that the bus driver was charged for negligent driving. “We have booked the absconding driver under IPC 279 (rash driving).”
There was a traffic jam at the busy arterial road following the accident.
In a similar case in June, two persons going on a bike were killed after being knocked down by an RTC bus near Shameerpet. The victims were not wearing helmets and succumbed almost immediately after they suffered grievous injuries in the heads. Police had sent their bodies to Gandhi Hospital and booked the bus driver for negligent driving.
In July, another bike rider was crushed to death at Kukatpally, KPHB, while he was taking a U-turn. However, in this case the biker was reportedly drunk. Following the death, angry locals set a toddy shop on fire which was allegedly selling toddy illegally. Police had arrested two persons who were selling toddy without permission.