Fog, speed, tragedy: Car driven by teen zoomed at 160 kmph on Bengaluru ring road; 7 die in multi-vehicle collision

BENGALURU: The XUV700 packed with minors and a teen at the wheel was speeding down Satellite Town Ring Road (STRR) at 150-160kmph, slicing through thick layers of fog around 4am Friday. Police drew the speed inference based on the intensity of the damage caused to the car and on accounts from fellow motorists at that hour.

Though the road is dotted with CCTV cameras and speed radars, cops and highway officials could not source specific footage of the crash. The speed limit on STRR is 100kmph.




Balasubramani, the driver of the truck rear-ended by the XUV, said: "The road was calm, and I was driving in my lane at a steady pace. Suddenly, I felt my vehicle was struck and crashed to its side in seconds. I lost consciousness."

When Balasubramani regained consciousness and scanned the road from the fallen truck, he was shocked. "The car had hit with such force that my truck's axle and the entire housing got separated. I could not believe (the devastating scene)," he said from the hospital bed.

Cops struggled to pull the bodies of six minors from the vehicle's mangled remains. One said: "This is the first such crash on STRR. It's quite likely that the youngsters didn't know how to control the speeding car." The car belonged to Ayan's father Azgar Ali, a businessman from Kothanur.

Police said they didn't know when the youths started, where they went or where they were heading to. They had to call in cranes to remove the damaged vehicles and clear the road for traffic. Inspector general of police (Central Range) Labhu Ram visited the accident spot and reviewed the situation.

With a few residents from neighbouring Kambalipura and M Sathyawara alleging the road had been built unscientifically, police have decided to rope in highway, public works, and transport officials to study it. Bengaluru Rural superintendent of police Chandrakanth MV said villagers have pointed out one stretch — where the accident occurred — has several crests and troughs. "We are yet to determine whether the road is scientifically designed," he said, hinting at corrective measures if any issues with the road were found.

Based on a complaint by Naresh, whose Brezza rammed into the remnants of the multi-vehicle accident, a case has been registered against Ayan for causing death by negligence and rash driving.