Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Wednesday rejected allegations that the death of a 22-year-old student in East Bengaluru was caused by poor road conditions, calling the opposition’s claims politically motivated.
“It is all false. They are only spreading a hoax. Because of them, all this has been created,” he said in response to criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The controversy erupted after Dhanashree, a final-year B.Com student, was killed near Budigere Cross on Monday morning. According to police, she was riding her scooter from Byappanahalli to KR Puram around 8:10 am when she lost balance and fell. A tipper truck coming from behind ran over her, killing her instantly. The driver fled, and a search is underway. An FIR was registered at Avalahalli police station based on a complaint filed by her mother.
The BJP seized on the tragedy, accusing the Congress government of negligence. The party’s Karnataka unit posted on social media: “It is unfortunate that a student has lost her life because of a pothole on the roads of Silicon City. The roads of Bengaluru, which were supposed to facilitate smooth traffic, are instead endangering the lives of commuters every day. This exposes the poor performance of DK Shivakumar.” Party leaders also claimed that more than half of Karnataka’s roads remain unsafe, including in the capital.
Eyewitnesses at the scene had said Dhanashree had swerved to avoid a pothole before falling. “Had the pothole been repaired earlier, this could have been prevented,” said one bystander.
{{/usCountry}}Eyewitnesses at the scene had said Dhanashree had swerved to avoid a pothole before falling. “Had the pothole been repaired earlier, this could have been prevented,” said one bystander.
{{/usCountry}}Following the controversy, police offered a more cautious account on Wednesday. A senior officer said the crash occurred on a stretch that was in relatively good condition, though potholes existed on the opposite side of the road. Investigators are reviewing CCTV footage to determine whether a pothole played a role.
The death has drawn renewed attention to a long-standing civic problem. Data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) shows Karnataka recorded 23 deaths in 2023 attributed to civic negligence, the highest in the country. Madhya Pradesh followed with 12 and Chhattisgarh with five.
Bengaluru alone accounted for the largest share of such fatalities among 18 metropolitan cities, marking the fourth straight year it has topped the list. Most cases were linked to potholes, poor road conditions, electrocution, broken or encroached footpaths, and other faulty infrastructure.
Shivakumar dismissed the opposition’s attempt to link these statistics directly to Dhanashree’s case. He argued that the BJP was exploiting the tragedy for political gain rather than addressing the city’s broader infrastructure challenges.
Bengaluru has seen repeated controversies over pothole-related deaths, with civic activists, residents, and even courts pressing authorities to take responsibility. Police said on Wednesday that CCTV footage from Budigere Cross is being scrutinised and that efforts are underway to trace the lorry driver who fled after the accident.