A 12-year-old boy lost his life in an accident in west Bengaluru after an illegally built pavement slope caused him to lose balance on his bicycle and fall under the wheels of a truck.
The incident occurred around 4 pm on Monday at Sannakkibayalu in Summanahalli, Kamakshipalya. The victim, identified as R Shashank, was a Class 8 student at a BBMP school, Times of India reported.
( Bengaluru to face scheduled power cuts till September 29: Full list of affected areas)
His father, Rajesh, works as a carpenter, while his mother, Jyothi, is a homemaker. He also has a younger sister studying in school.
According to police, Shashank had cycled to a classmate’s home to invite him to play. When his friend refused, he started pedaling back. On his way, the front wheel of his bicycle went over a cement slope that had been constructed illegally on the pavement in front of a house, the report further added.
The slope caused him to lose balance and fall to the right, directly into the path of a truck carrying M-sand. The truck ran over him, killing him on the spot.
The truck driver abandoned the vehicle and fled immediately after the incident.
When asked if action would be taken against the house owner who built the illegal slope, a senior police officer confirmed to TOI that the encroachment played a direct role in the accident.
“The owner has encroached upon the road. The boy lost balance after riding on it. We will see what legal action can be initiated against him,” the officer said.