The brief spell of rain on Monday evening claimed the life of a motorcyclist on 100-foot Road in Indiranagar. The deceased, Sithanathan Chinnu, a 35-year-old software engineer, lost control of his motorcycle on the slippery road that was reportedly strewn with seeds from rain trees.
Eyewitnesses told the police that he skidded and came under the wheels of a passing BMTC bus. The incident took place around 7.30 p.m. when parts of the city, including Indiranagar, were experiencing brief showers.
“The road was slippery and there were rain tree seeds that had fallen because of the showers,” said a police officer. He added that the BMTC bus was heading towards a bus stop just as Sithanathan fell. “He came under the rear wheels of the bus and sustained severe injuries. Passers-by took him to a hospital in the area, where doctors declared him dead on arrival,” the officer said.
According to the Halasuru traffic police, the oil content of the seeds combined with the wet road had become a driving hazard. “There were several cases of bikers skidding and losing their balance on this stretch. It’s possible that the seeds were crushed by vehicles, thereby releasing their content on the road,” said the traffic police.
Sithanathan was a native of Dindigul in Tamil Nadu and lived with his wife and two children on Bannerghatta Road here. His youngest son is a year-and-a-half old, said the police. “He worked at Bagmane Tech Park. He was returning from work on his motorcycle when the incident took place,” said the police.
The police have seized the bus and arrested the driver who has been charged with death due to negligence.
The Halasuru traffic police have requested the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic East) to launch an awareness campaign for motorists, especially on stretches where rain trees are located.
