- DK Shivakumar has denied BJP's claims linking Bengaluru pothole to a student’s death
- 20-year-old student Dhanushree died after being hit by a tipper truck in Bengaluru
- BJP alleged that she died after she came under the wheels of a tipper truck while trying to avoid a pothole
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Tuesday rejected BJP allegations that the death of a 20-year-old college student in Bengaluru during a road accident was caused by potholes.
His remarks came a day after the BJP alleged that Dhanushree, a final-year B-Com student, died after she came under the wheels of a tipper truck while trying to avoid a pothole in North Bengaluru's Avalahalli area.
"It is all false. They are only spreading a hoax. Because of them (the saffron party), all this has been created," Shivakumar told reporters.
Following the incident on Monday, the BJP alleged that 60 per cent of Karnataka, including Bengaluru, has turned "into 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," the party's official Karnataka handle wrote on X.
The police said the accident occurred around 8:10 am when Dhanushree was riding her two-wheeler from Byappanahalli to her college in KR Puram.
A senior police officer said preliminary investigations showed her vehicle was allegedly hit from behind by a tipper truck, causing her death on the spot.
"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 said.
The police said they were reviewing CCTV footage to find the exact sequence and cause of the accident.
The truck driver fled the scene, and police are working to trace him.
