BENGALURU: Valuables being stolen from accident victims is commonplace. But a scooter that fell to the ground after running over a steep road hump was stolen recently from the accident spot even as the rider lay unconscious on the road near Droupadamma temple in Kalasipalya.
On March 3, Kalasipalya police registered an FIR in connection with the scooter theft. The scooterist, Arun V, also lost his mobile phone, silver chain, and Rs 5,500 cash, police said.
Arun, 25, a vegetable vendor, was on his way from Siddapura near Lalbagh to Kalasipalya to buy food for people who had come to sing bhajans at his residence around 1.30am on January 30. The bhajan session was planned as a tribute to his recently departed uncle.
On a narrow stretch near Droupadamma temple, Arun hit a hump as it was pitch dark and he could not see it. He fell along with the scooter and was dragged for a few metres before he lost consciousness. Arun said he lay on the road for nearly one hour until his elder brother visited the spot. "My brother decided to step out as I had not returned home. When he took the same route, he saw me lying unconscious," Arun said.
The brother splashed some water on Arun's face after which he gained consciousness, although he was not able to comprehend what had happened. "When I woke up, my scooter had vanished along with my mobile phone, silver chain and Rs 5,500 cash. Some men passing through the street might have stolen the vehicle and other valuables," he said.
Arun was first taken to their home and then admitted to a hospital, where he stayed for 10 days. His brother, meanwhile, went to the accident spot and began searching for the scooter. "My brother thought I may have parked the vehicle somewhere after the accident before losing consciousness.
The area is familiar to us and we enquired with everyone. But no one knew who had taken away the vehicle. Since the street was narrow, no one might have noticed the theft. I had to spend Rs 35,000 on my hospitalisation," Arun said. He decided to file a police complaint as the vehicle remained missing even after a month-long search.