E-Paper
Tragic loss of young skater amplifies urgency for safety measures
Four different skating academies conduct classes in the Janeshwar Mishra Park parking area, typically between 4 PM and 8 PM, with early morning sessions for senior students in training for competitions.
LUCKNOW A meticulous examination of the circumstances surrounding the untimely death of a minor in a hit-and-run tragedy while skating on G20 Road reveals negligence on multiple fronts. Safety concerns were overlooked, and traffic laws were violated -- this was an unfortunate incident waiting to happen.
Accident spot nearly 1 km away from class
Skating classes, held in the parking area at Gate No 6, Janeshwar Mishra Park, a space designated by the Lucknow Development Authority for skating coaches, take place over a kilometre away from the tragic site. The nine-year-old student in question was allegedly skating on G20 Road, a stretch notorious for speeding traffic and lacking sufficient speed breakers, accompanied by a substitute coach.
Coaches conducting classes at Janeshwar Mishra shared that they typically only take senior competitive skaters to the road, and if so, limit it to Marine Drive -- a gated area devoid of traffic -- or just outside Gate No 6, beneath the bridge leading to G20 Road. Coach Aakash highlighted their precautionary measures, saying, “When we take students to the road, we ensure that two of us follow on bikes to prevent collisions with vehicles. Venturing out to G20 Road is not a risk we take.” The child belonged to Team Awadh Speed Skating Academy, and the regular coach, reportedly out of town, has refrained from commenting at this time.
Street safety concerns left unattended
Four different skating academies conduct classes in the Janeshwar Mishra Park parking area, typically between 4 PM and 8 PM, with early morning sessions for senior students in training for competitions. Anjani Khushwaha, a skater and coach, revealed that around 300 students attend classes in this area. Despite discussions about a skating track, the street just outside lacks rumble strips or speed breakers, posing a risk if children inadvertently enter the street during practice.
“Early morning is one of the peak times when cars and bikes speed on these long stretches of road; this is when most of the stunters come out,” stated Kanchan Tiwari, police outpost in-charge at Janeshwar Mishra Park. “The accident occurred at a time when visibility is also low. That area is not safe for children to skate,” she concluded. The speeding car responsible for the tragedy was driven by two youngsters from Indira Nagar, and it went unchecked despite CCTV surveillance and ITMS (Intelligent Traffic Management System) enabled street cams before reaching G20 Road.
All other classes at Janeshwar Mishra Park had been canceled for the day. “This is very unexpected, and it’s the first time a student has met with an accident like this near here,” said skater and coach Ishaan Raj Singh.
Unanswered Questions
Why was the child skating on a road known for speeding traffic?
It is now known that the accused duo, Devshree Verma and Sarthak Singh, were competing with each other to see who could drive faster. The car hit the boy when Sarthak was driving back from G20 Road to Indira Nagar. Before him, Devshree had already cruised from Indira Nagar to G20 Road. The question is, why wasn’t the car intercepted then?
Why are there no traffic safety measures in an area regularly frequented by young children?
Past Incidents
November 2023 -- A young boy and her cousin were killed in a hit-and-run road accident at Eldeco Saubhagyam crossing. Like the recent tragedy, the boy’s mother was also present at the accident spot.
December 2016 -- Speeding SUV overturned after colliding with a roadside railing in front of Gate No 3, Janeshwar Mishra Park; no casualties reported.
December 2012 -- U.P. cabinet minister’s son died when his speeding car hit a railing on the overbridge near Janeshwar Mishra Park.
