A devastating accident claimed the life of 35-year-old autorickshaw driver Khasim Saab when a massive viaduct, being transported for the Namma Metro’s airport line, fell from an 18-wheeler truck onto his vehicle at Kogilu Cross near Yelahanka.

The incident, occurring around 12:05 am on Wednesday, left the autorickshaw mangled and Khasim dead on the spot, while his passenger narrowly escaped after alighting moments earlier, police said.

The viaduct, a concrete structure for Metro construction, fell during transit, crushing Khasim, a Hegde Nagar resident ferrying a passenger toward Nagawara. The truck driver fled, prompting a police manhunt. Bystanders rushed to assist, but a crane was needed to lift the viaduct, delaying recovery efforts. Frustrated locals, angered by the delay and perceived negligence, resorted to stone-pelting, though police restored order. Khasim’s body was recovered once the crane arrived.

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Residents criticized the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) for lax oversight, citing past incidents like the January 2023 HBR Layout collapse that killed a woman and her toddler, and another viaduct fall in Nagawara killing a biker.

In the 2023 case, 10 people, including BMRCL officials and Nagarjuna Constructions Company representatives, faced charges. The recurrence of such accidents has fueled demands for stricter safety protocols.

This tragedy underscores ongoing concerns about Metro construction safety in Bengaluru, where 116.86 km of lines are under development.

Police are investigating, and calls for accountability from BMRCL and contractors are growing louder as the city grapples with the human cost of its infrastructure ambitions.

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