Hoskote accident: 'Joyride' set out secretly claims lives of six school students
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Bengaluru (PTI): What began as an early morning "joyride" in an SUV ended in tragedy, claiming the lives of seven people, including six school students, who had set out secretly without informing their families, police said on Saturday.
The multi-vehicle pile-up occurred early Friday morning near M Satyavara on the Hoskote-Dabaspet Highway in Bengaluru Rural district, they said.
According to police, six students set out in an SUV for a "joyride". The SUV car allegedly being driven by one of the students, Ayan Ali, reportedly at 150-160 kmph was en route from Hoskote towards Devanahalli when it allegedly struck a motorcycle from behind.
Ali took his father's car without parents knowledge, police said.
The driver of the SUV allegedly lost control after the initial impact and crashed into a canter vehicle. Another car was also drawn into the wreckage, resulting in a severe pile-up.
Six occupants of the SUV and the motorcycle rider identified as 26-year-old Gagan, a resident of Devanahalli, died on the spot, police said.
The impact of the accident flung the two-wheeler rider off the vehicle, and he hit the metal side crash barrier with extreme force, leading to his death.
The other deceased were identified as Ahram Sharif (16), Ashvin Nayar, Eethan George, Ayan Ali, Bharath - all 17 years old; Mohammed Farhan Shaik (18), students of class 10 and 12.
Around 11 am on Friday, grieving parents gathered at MVJ Hospital near Hoskote, struggling to come to terms with the fact that their children had died in the accident.
Devastating scenes unfolded at the mortuary as the families of the students broke down when police asked them to identify bodies.
Many were in shock, unable to accept the news conveyed to them by the police as most of the families were unaware of their children's "joyride" and believed they were sleeping in their rooms at home.
Sharif's uncle, Baba Jaan, told reporters that Sharif didn't even know how to ride a two-wheeler.
Gagan's family said he was working at a private company and was the sole provider and the "eyes" of his visually impaired mother. Upon hearing the news of the death of her only son and anchor, the mother was inconsolable.
According to his family, Gagan was on his way home after finishing his night shift when the accident occurred. He would leave for work at 5 pm and return around 3 am.
"We got to know about the accident at around 6 am on Friday. He was the only child of his parents. His mother is partially visibly challenged. He has been running the family since his father's demise," Gagan's uncle told reporters here.
Police said further investigation is underway.
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Siddaramaiah in 'helpless situation', under some 'compulsion', claims Cong MLA Rajanna
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Bengaluru (PTI): Amid claims that Siddaramaiah's confidants are being targeted within the ruling Congress in Karnataka, following recent actions against some party leaders, senior MLA K N Rajanna on Friday alleged that the chief minister is "helpless" and under some "compulsion" as he is not standing up to defend his people.
The comments from the former minister, who is considered close to Siddaramaiah, came after Congress took action against some of its minority community leaders--considered close to the CM--following allegations of an internal conspiracy against the party candidate in the Davanagere South bypoll held on April 9.
Rajanna himself was sacked from the Ministry last August on the instructions of the party high command, following his alleged comments criticising top party leader Rahul Gandhi's "vote theft" charge.
"There will be vested interests in the party who will try to conspire against those who have been loyal to the party and want the party to grow for the welfare of the people. Nothing can be done about it. What we expect from our chief minister is that when such a situation arises, he should stand strong, but he is not standing and that is a sad thing," Rajanna said in response to a question whether Siddaramaiah's followers were being targeted in Congress.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "... I don't know what his thinking is. But we did not expect such a helpless situation from Siddaramaiah."
When asked who had made Siddaramaiah helpless, the former minister said, "I won't say who, you understand it yourself."
"People are saying that those close to Siddaramaiah are being targeted...I don't know what compulsions Siddaramaiah has. If he tells, we can know, but he won't say. I don't know under what compulsion he is following this neutrality," he said, adding that the CM is helpless and a person becomes "helpless" when his/her voice shrinks.
The Congress recently suspended MLC K Abdul Jabbar from the party's primary membership and relieved another MLC Naseer Ahmed from the post of chief minister's political secretary. This action came after a group of Muslim leaders accused members of their own party of "conspiracy" to defeat the official candidate in Davanagere South.
Following the action against Jabbar and Naseer Ahmed, speculation is that Housing Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan may also face action during the next cabinet rejig, as these three wanted a Muslim to get the bypoll ticket in Davanagere South, which the party gave to the late MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa's grandson Samarth Mallikarjun. They also did not actively participate in campaigning.
Citing a Kannada saying that there is no punishment for the mistakes committed by the King, Rajanna, in what seemed to be a veiled dig at Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, asked, "Does sharing a stage with a person (referring to Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev) who said, 'Who is Rahul Gandhi? I don't know,' not amount to indiscipline?"
Referring to AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge's statement on whether poverty could be ended by taking a dip in the Ganga at Prayagraj, he said, "...but this person (again referring to Shivakumar) goes there and compliments UP CM Yogi Adityanath for arrangements made for the Kumbh Mela. He also goes to Ambani family marriage, while Rahul Gandhi did not even accept the invitation."
"I'm not saying that action should be taken against this person too, but the party will have to observe these things also," he added.
Rajanna further pointed out that no action was taken when veteran Congress leader and late MLA from Davanagere South Shamanur Shivashankarappa made a speech seeking votes for BJP candidate B Y Raghavandra during Shivamogga Lok Sabha polls, and asked if this did not amount to indiscipline.
"The same people were at the helm then (referring to Shivakumar as KPCC chief), even a verbal warning was not given to him (Shivashankarappa)," he said, adding that, similarly no action was taken when Samarth Shamanur filed his nomination in Davanagere South before the party announced its candidate for Davanagere South-- that was also an act of indiscipline.
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