Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar ignited a firestorm Tuesday by dismissing allegations that a fatal road accident involving a 20-year-old college student was caused by Bengaluru’s notorious potholes, labeling the claims a “false” smear campaign orchestrated by the opposition BJP. The controversy erupted after Dhanushree, a final-year B-Com student, was killed Monday morning when a tipper truck crushed her in North Bengaluru’s Avalahalli area, sparking a heated political blame game over the city’s crumbling infrastructure.
The BJP pounced on the tragedy, accusing the Congress-led state government of turning Karnataka’s roads – particularly in tech hub Bengaluru – into a “death trap” through gross mismanagement. In a scathing post on X, the party’s Karnataka unit declared, “Sixty percent of Karnataka, including Silicon City, is a perilous maze due to Congress misrule. Dhanushree’s life was snuffed out because of a pothole. Bengaluru’s roads, meant for seamless travel, now endanger lives daily. This is a glaring indictment of DK Shivakumar’s failure.” The post, which garnered thousands of shares, included images of crater-like potholes near the accident site, amplifying public outrage.
Shivakumar hit back hard, accusing the BJP of exploiting the tragedy for political gain. “It’s all false – a complete hoax,” he told reporters at a press conference outside the Vidhana Soudha. “The BJP is spreading lies to tarnish our government’s image. They’ve created this narrative out of thin air.” He insisted that Bengaluru’s roads, while not perfect, are being actively repaired under Congress’s watch, with over ₹500 crore allocated for infrastructure upgrades this fiscal year. “We’re working day and night to fix potholes, but the opposition wants to sensationalize every incident,” he added, urging the public to await police findings.
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According to Bengaluru police, the accident occurred around 8:10 AM as Dhanushree rode her two-wheeler from Byappanahalli to her college in KR Puram. A senior officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said preliminary investigations suggest a tipper truck struck her vehicle from behind, causing her to fall and be fatally crushed. “The road where the accident happened was in decent condition,” the officer noted. “Potholes were present on the opposite side, but they don’t appear to have directly caused the collision.” Police are scouring CCTV footage to piece together the exact sequence of events, while the truck driver, who fled the scene, remains at large. A manhunt is underway, with authorities vowing to bring the culprit to justice.
The incident has reignited public fury over Bengaluru’s infrastructure woes, long a sore point for residents of India’s tech capital. Social media erupted with hashtags like #BengaluruPotholeDeath and #FixOurRoads trending across X, as commuters shared photos and videos of treacherous roads citywide. “This isn’t just about one accident – it’s a systemic failure,” tweeted local activist Priya Sharma, whose post racked up over 10,000 likes. “How many more lives must we lose before the government acts?” Residents point to monsoon-damaged roads, shoddy maintenance, and lax oversight as chronic issues, with some alleging that corruption siphons off funds meant for repairs.
The BJP doubled down, holding a protest outside Bengaluru’s BBMP headquarters Tuesday evening, demanding Shivakumar’s resignation. “He’s in charge of Bengaluru’s development, yet our roads are killing our youth,” said BJP MLA Arvind Bellad, addressing a crowd waving placards. “Dhanushree’s death is a stain on Congress’s governance. They can’t dodge accountability by calling it a hoax.” The party claims over 1,200 road accidents in Bengaluru this year alone are linked to poor infrastructure, though official data is yet to confirm this figure.
Congress leaders, meanwhile, accused the BJP of politicizing a tragedy while deflecting from their own tenure’s failures. “When they were in power, Bengaluru’s roads weren’t paved with gold either,” countered state Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao. “We’re investing heavily to fix the city’s infrastructure, but these things take time. The BJP’s crocodile tears won’t fool anyone.” The government has promised a detailed probe into Dhanushree’s death and a citywide pothole audit by mid-October.
As Bengaluru mourns, Dhanushree’s family remains in shock. Her father, Venkatesh, a local shopkeeper, told local media, “My daughter was my pride. She was just going to college. How do we move on from this?” Candlelight vigils are planned across KR Puram tonight, with students and activists demanding safer roads. With police investigations ongoing and political mudslinging at fever pitch, the question looms: Will Dhanushree’s death spark real change, or remain another flashpoint in Karnataka’s bitter political wars?
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