Bengaluru Underpass Drowning: Former CM accuses BBMP of negligence

Former Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday accused the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) of neglecting to take precautionary measures to deal with heavy downpour, despite warnings from the Meteorological Department. The former CM warned that there would be “chaos” in the state capital if this continues.

A 23-year-old techie from Andhra Pradesh lost her life on Sunday after her vehicle got stuck in a flooded underpass in Bengaluru’s K.R. Circle. Heavy rainfall and hailstorms led to severe water-logging in several parts of the city.

The woman, identified as Bhanurekha, was travelling with visiting family members and a driver, when the vehicle they were in got submerged in the underpass. The 23-year-old drowned and died on the way to the hospital.

“It was painful that the life of a woman was snuffed out in rains that lashed only for a few hours in the state capital on Sunday,” Bommai told reporters in Bengaluru. “Heavy rains and underpass waterlogging happened earlier also but I don’t remember any death happening before…this (death) could have been avoided and timely action by BBMP.”

According to police, an FIR has been registered against the driver and BBMP officials under Section 304A (death caused due to negligence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Meanwhile, newly-elected Chief Minister Siddaramaiah visited the hospital Bhanurekha was taken to and later announced a Rs 5 lakh compensation for her bereaved family.

The underpass suffered severe water-logging and several people stuck there had been rescued hours before the incident.