Bengaluru: A 31-year-old woman lost her life after falling from an expressway flyover on National Highway-44 near Devanahalli in the early hours of Sunday. Her husband, who was riding the scooter, sustained injuries and is undergoing treatment at a private hospital.
Victim identified as Banaswadi resident
The deceased has been identified as Nethravathi, a resident of Banaswadi. Her husband, Shiva Kumar, also known as Shivu, 35, survived with injuries.
According to Devanahalli traffic police, the couple was travelling towards Chikkaballapur around 12.30am on their scooter when a speeding car, driving on the wrong side of the flyover at Bachalli, collided with them head-on.
Fatal fall from 25 feet
Police said Shivu was riding the scooter while Nethravathi was the pillion rider. The car, reportedly heading towards Bengaluru at high speed, rammed into the two-wheeler. The impact threw Nethravathi off the flyover from a height of over 25 feet. She sustained severe injuries and died on the spot.
Shivu fell along with the scooter on the flyover and hit the metal crash barrier. Commuters who witnessed the crash alerted police, who rushed to the scene, shifted Shivu to a nearby private hospital, and informed the family.
Driver fled the scene
Investigators revealed that the car driver fled without stopping after the crash. “We are checking CCTV footage from surrounding areas to identify the vehicle and the driver,” a senior police officer said.
Nethravathi and Shivu were reportedly on their way to visit her mother, who had recently undergone cataract surgery and had just been discharged from hospital. The couple has two children.
Police register case of rash driving
Nethravathi’s body was handed over to the family after post-mortem. Shivu, who works as a daily-wage labourer, later filed a complaint with Devanahalli traffic police. A case has been registered against the unidentified driver under charges of rash and negligent driving, causing death by negligence, and hit-and-run.
Police said efforts are underway to trace the accused vehicle owner and driver.
Rising concerns on NH-44 safety
The accident has once again highlighted the dangers of wrong-side driving and speeding on the busy NH-44 expressway, which connects Bengaluru to Hyderabad and passes by Kempegowda International Airport (KIA). The stretch witnesses heavy traffic, especially during late-night hours, and has been a cause for concern among commuters.
Authorities have reiterated the need for stricter enforcement of traffic rules, installation of more surveillance cameras, and awareness campaigns to prevent such tragedies.