A 22-year-old woman rider sustained grievous injuries after a car rammed into her scooter at an intersection near Kadri Kambla junction in Mangaluru on Friday. A CCTV camera at a local shop has captured the shocking accident, where the car is seen ramming into her and even dragging her for some distance, as she comes under the car.
In the CCTV visuals, one can see Vanishree on her white two-wheeler, as she was heading towards Attavar at around 9 am. However, as she neared the four-road intersection near Kadri Kambla junction, her scooter was hit by a black Hyundai i10. The impact of the collision was such that Vanishree fell over on the car bonnet. However, the car driver did not apply brakes and despite the aghast onlookers shouting and signalling, the car kept moving, dragging Vanishree along and causing her to come under the car. About five meters after the collision, the driver abruptly applied the brakes and passersby gathered around the car.
Incidentally, some policemen who were escorting Mangalore MLA UT Khader were near the same junction and rushed to the rescue of the woman. They also stopped the crowd that had gathered from attacking the driver.
The cops and onlookers manually lifted the car and freed the woman who was lying underneath. Vanishree suffered grievous injuries and was rushed to a private hospital near Kadri Kambla.
A police official reveals that a case is registered against Ravikumar KG, the driver of the Hyundai i10, at Kadri East Traffic Police Station. However, the cop added that Ravi Kumar, who is a senior citizen, admitted that he did not intend to run over the woman but in panic lost control and pressed the accelerator instead of the brakes. Ravikumar also accompanied the woman to the hospital.
Vanishree is a resident of Bantwal, but has been working in a firm in Mangaluru. She has suffered injuries on her hip and is currently out of danger. She is recuperating in a private hospital.
According to an onlooker, if not for her helmet, the accident could have turned fatal.
In December 2019, Shailaja, a 56-year-old school teacher lost her life at the exact spot, when a lorry rammed into the auto-rickshaw she was travelling. Even this accident was captured on CCTV. Speed breakers were installed near the junction, however, the intersection is a prone accident zone.
Trigger warning: Disturbing visuals