The Hindu

• Accident occurred while a group of girls were crossing the road to go to school 

Bangalore, Feb 23: A 14-year-old girl was killed after a construction material-laden lorry ran over her in front of her school in Jeevanbimanagar on Wednesday February 22 morning.

The girl's death triggered angry protest from students and teachers of the school and the residents of the area.

The police said that around 9 am, a few girls got down from a BMTC bus in front of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Government School, situated a few metres away from the Jeevanbimanagar police station.

The girls, who were crossing the road in a group to reach the school, were taken by surprise on seeing a lorry behind them. While some of them ran to safety, Hemalatha (14) came under the wheels of the lorry.

The lorry that came from Indiranagar side ran over her head, killing her instantaneously. Her cousin, Ashwini (12), who was also hit by the vehicle, fractured a leg and was rushed to a nearby private hospital, the police said.

Hemalatha, an eighth standard student, was the daughter of Mahadevan, a resident of Suddugunteapalya and an employee in BEML canteen.

After the accident, the driver fled the spot, the police said.

Following the accident, students and teachers of the school squatted on the Jeevanbimanagar Main Road and staged a demonstration. Several residents of the area too joined them in the protest.

The teachers claimed that this was the third accident in front of their school in recent times. They demanded that the authorities build a speed-breaker in front of the school, install a traffic signal and put up road sign such as "school zone" in the vicinity. When Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) M.N. Reddi and Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic-East) M. Abdullah Saleem visited the spot, the school headmistress T.K. Yashoda submitted a memorandum to them. Mr. Reddi assured the teachers and residents of the area that the latest "elevated road hump" will be laid in front of the school.

Manjushree, a student who was crossing the road along with Hemalatha and escaped unhurt, explained to the senior police officials how the accident occurred.

Meanwhile, the police said they would recommend to the Regional Transport Officer to cancel the permit of the lorry.

The Indiranagar traffic police, who have seized the vehicle, are on the lookout for its driver. Traffic on the busy Jeevanbimanagar Main Road was affected for nearly an hour following the demonstration.

A holiday was declared for the school following Hemalatha's death.