DK Shivakumar Refutes BJP Claims: Bengaluru Student's Death Not Caused by Pothole

Bengaluru:

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar firmly denied BJP's claims on Tuesday that potholes caused the death of a 20-year-old college student in a Bengaluru road accident.

His statement comes in response to BJP allegations that Dhanushree, a final-year B-Com student, lost her life after falling under a tipper truck while attempting to navigate around a pothole in North Bengaluru's Avalahalli area.

"It is all false. They are only spreading a hoax. Because of them, all this has been created," Shivakumar informed reporters.

Following Monday's tragic incident, the BJP claimed that 60 percent of Karnataka, including Bengaluru, has become "a death trap due to misrule by the Congress government."

"It is unfortunate that a student has lost her life because of a pothole on the roads of Silicon City. The roads of Bengaluru, which were supposed to facilitate smooth traffic, are instead endangering the lives of commuters every day. This exposes the poor performance of D K Shivakumar," stated the party's official Karnataka handle on X.

According to police, the accident occurred around 8:10 am as Dhanushree was traveling on her two-wheeler from Byappanahalli to her college in KR Puram.

A senior police officer reported that initial investigations indicated her vehicle was struck from behind by a tipper truck, resulting in her immediate death.

"The accident took place on a section of the road in relatively good condition, though potholes were present nearby on the opposite side," the officer explained.

Police are currently examining CCTV footage to determine the exact sequence and cause of the accident.

The truck driver fled the scene, and authorities are working to locate him.