BENGALURU: In a horrific tragedy, a 28-year-old woman and her two-and-a-half-year-old son were killed, while her spouse and daughter sustained injuries after a reinforcement structure made of iron rods for the construction of an 18-metre-tall Namma Metro pillar crashed on the bike-borne family at HBR Layout on Outer Ring Road in Bengaluru on Tuesday morning.
The accident happened on the Blue Line (KR Puram-Hebbal-Kempegowda International Airport) under construction at around 10am. BMRCL officials claimed that this was the first time that civilian deaths had been reported due to an accident at a metro construction site.
According to officials, the reinforcement cage erected for pier no. 218 fell on the family of four — Tejaswini Sulakhe, a software engineer, her husband Lohith V Sulakhe, and their twin kids —Vihan L Sulakhe and Vismitha L Sulakhe.
Tejaswini and Vihan, who took the brunt of the fall, suffered grievous injuries and were rushed to a nearby hospital, where both succumbed to injuries. Lohith and Vismitha escaped with minor injuries.
Lohith works as a civil engineer with a private firm in Vijayanagar, west Bengaluru and his wife was a software engineer with a private firm in Manyata Tech Park.
According to jurisdictional Govindapura police, Lohith was riding the bike, with Vismitha and Vihan seated between him and Tejaswini. They were heading towards Manyata Tech Park from their residence at Kalkere, near Horamavu. They reached near HBR Layout on the outer ring road.
The twins had recently joined a pre-school at Manyata Tech Park. Lohith used to drop the three of them in the morning while Tejaswini picked up the kids in the afternoon and then worked from home for the remaining part of the day.
The reinforcement structure was built of metal rods and mounted on the foundation to construct the pier.
BMRCL managing director Anjum Parwez said: “Iron ropes were tied from all four sides to ensure that there is no movement of the reinforcement. But one of the wires snapped. This is the first time that civilian deaths due to accidents have been reported at Namma Metro construction site.”
Parwez also visited the spot and announced a compensation of Rs 20 lakh for the victim’s family. He said BMRCL will bear the hospital expenses.
The death trap pillars of Bengaluru
BMRCL along with contractor Nagarjuna Construction Company (NCC) Ltd is undertaking Metro work on KR Puram-Hebbal-Kempegowda International Airport section. TOI’s email to NCC received no response till late at the night.
Chief minister Basavaraj Bommai has ordered a detailed probe into the accident. Bommai, who is in Dharwad, said it was an unfortunate incident and if lapses are found stern action will be taken.
Under the CM’s relief fund, Rs 20 lakh compensation will be given to the family of the deceased.
Residents and commuters staged a snap protest following the incident. Traffic on Outer Ring Road was also disrupted till noon.
FIR against Metro officials, contractorsGovindapura police said that they had registered a criminal negligence case against the site engineers of Namma Metro and the contractor, construction site in charge officials from BMRCL and others.
“We have not named any individual in the FIR. Lohith alleged in his complaint that negligence by Namma Metro, the contractor, engineers and other persons concerned was responsible for the tragic incident. We will investigate and take necessary steps according to law,” said an investigating officer.
DCP (east) Bheemashankar S Guled said that a Forensic Science Lab (FSL) team visited the spot, collected samples and conducted a spot mahajar.
Their reports would reveal the exact reason behind the accident, he said.
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