Bengaluru :A 20-year-old BCom student, Dhanushree, died after being run over by a speeding truck near Budigere Cross on Monday morning, raising renewed concerns about road safety and potholes in the city.

Dhanushree, a resident of Virgonagar and a second-year student at a private college in KR Puram, was riding her scooter around 8.30 am when the accident occurred. According to residents of Bhuvaneshwari Layout, she may have been negotiating a pothole when a concrete-mixer truck struck her from behind, flinging her onto the middle of the road. The truck ran over her head and fled the scene.

Passersby alerted the police, who rushed to the site and moved Dhanushree’s body to a mortuary. A senior police officer said CCTV footage is being examined to identify the truck involved. The body was later handed over to her family following a post-mortem.

Police investigation and legal action

A case has been registered under BNS Section 106 (causing death due to negligence) based on a complaint filed by Dhanushree’s mother. Police noted that the complaint did not blame civic authorities for the accident.

“During a spot visit, we found the road in good condition in the direction she was heading. However, the opposite lane was in poor shape. We are trying to verify if she was negotiating a pothole at the time of the accident,” said a police officer.

Residents and authorities react

Residents at the accident spot highlighted poor road conditions as a contributing factor. Murali A, president of the Bhuvaneshwari Enclave Welfare Association, said: “Dhanushree was a very bright student. The road has been in bad condition for years, worsened last year, and there are no streetlights on this stretch.”

The Mahadevapura Task Force, a volunteer group, attributed the poor road conditions to a lack of funding for the Public Works Department (PWD) to fill potholes. Condoling the incident, Mahadevapura MLA Manjula Limbavali stated she would raise the matter with the state government. She noted that road repair funds are being issued mainly within GBA limits, while Mahadevapura has both GBA and RDPR/PWD roads.

Conclusion

The tragic death of Dhanushree once again underscores Bengaluru’s persistent road safety challenges, especially regarding potholes and poorly maintained stretches. Authorities and residents have urged better maintenance and increased street lighting to prevent such accidents in the future