Traffic on Ballari Road near Mehkri Circle came to a halt on Monday morning after a man climbed onto the roof of a moving cab and refused to get down, triggering panic and confusion among commuters. The dramatic incident unfolded around 9am and lasted nearly 30 minutes before passersby forcibly brought him down and handed him over to police.

Chaos on Ballari Road

According to police, the man was identified as Santosh Kumar, an unemployed resident of JP Nagar in his 30s. He had been travelling with his parents and younger brother in a cab on their way to Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) for a planned pilgrimage.

Investigations revealed that Santosh had travelled to Mysuru the previous day and returned in a cab driven by Raju. Pleased with the service, he requested Raju to continue and drop his family at the airport on Monday morning. The driver agreed, informing them that the extended service would cost more.

However, as their vehicle approached Mehkri Circle, traffic slowed down significantly due to the morning rush. This sudden halt appeared to agitate Santosh, who reportedly jumped out of the car claiming he wanted to “clear the traffic”.

Man climbs onto roof, refuses to get down

Police sources said that when the cab slowed further, Santosh began arguing with the driver, urging him to speed up towards the airport. The situation escalated when Santosh suddenly climbed onto the car roof and began dancing, startling other motorists.

Realising that his vehicle was obstructing the road, driver Raju slowly manoeuvred the cab to the side while Santosh remained on the roof. Despite repeated requests from his parents and brother, Santosh refused to come down.

Traffic police personnel soon arrived and made several attempts to convince him to step off the vehicle. “He refused to listen and even pushed away those trying to help him,” a police officer said.

Passersby intervene

With the standoff continuing and traffic piling up, a few frustrated commuters forcefully pulled Santosh down and gagged him. A motorist was even seen throwing his helmet at him in anger.

Police immediately escorted Santosh to the station and later shifted him to Nimhans at the request of his parents. A case of public nuisance has been registered at the Sadashivanagar police station.

Traffic police announce diversions for Wednesday

In a separate advisory, Bengaluru Traffic Police announced major traffic curbs ahead of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board’s (KSPCB) golden jubilee celebrations to be held on Wednesday. With senior dignitaries, VIPs and nearly 80,000 participants expected at Krishna Vihar in Palace Grounds between 7am and 4pm, commuters—especially those travelling to KIA—have been urged to take alternate routes.

People heading to the airport are advised to take the Old High Grounds Junction–Kalpana Junction–Old Udaya TV Junction–Cantonment Railway Station–Tannery Road–Nagavara route.
Those arriving from KIA should take a right turn at Hebbal–Nagavara Junction–Bamboo Bazaar–Queens Road.
Another alternative is the Hebbal Outer Ring Road–Kuvempu Circle–Goraguntepalya stretch, police added.

Conclusion

Monday’s incident highlights the growing unpredictability of commuter behaviour on Bengaluru roads and reinforces the need for timely mental health intervention and responsible on-road conduct. With major traffic restrictions planned mid-week, authorities have urged travellers to follow the advisory to avoid delays.