Bangalore: TV actor falls into drainage pit, dies

Bangalore, Dec 16 (DHNS): A small-time television actor and theatre enthusiast, died after his two-wheeler plunged into a pit dug up for repair of a sewage pipe, allegedly kept open and without barricades, in Hanumanthanagar in the early hours of Sunday.

The victim has been identified as Ashok Kumar (54), a resident of Ittamadu in Banashankari 3rd Stage.

Kumar had been to Hosadurga in Chitradurga district for a performance and returned to the City in the night. He had parked his two-wheeler at his friend’s house in Chamarjpet. The accident occurred when he was on his way home.

Basavanagudi traffic police inspector Venkatesh said Kumar fell into the pit near Narayanaswamy Circle on Hayavadana Rao Road. Kumar rammed his bike into the barricade kept in front of the pit dug up by the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

He is suspected to have died of asphyxiation after falling into the sewage-filled pit. The accident came to light when policemen on night patrol duty found the body floating in sewage water, the inspector said.

The body was shifted to Kims for an autopsy. The report confirmed that Kumar was not under the influence of alcohol while riding the two-wheeler.

Civic agencies blamed

His relatives, however, have blamed the BBMP and BWSSB for the accident.

“Local residents told us that neither a barricade nor a warning sign board was placed near the pit. A barricade was placed only after the accident,” Kumar’s son, Abhishek, told Deccan Herald.

Venkatachala, a friend of Kumar’s, said the road was poorly lit and there was no sign board at all.

P M Sadashiva, the local corporator, however, claimed there was no lapse on the part of the BBMP. He said the pit was barricaded and tapes were tied on the four sides of the pit.

The Basavanagudi traffic police said that prima facie there was no negligence on the part of civic agencies.

Hence, only a case of unnatural death has been booked. The civic agencies have not been booked for any offence.