Two arrested in hit-andrun case after five months

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: Cracking a fivemonth old hitand-run case near Malagala bridge, the Kamakshipalya traffic police arrested a goods vehicle owner and the driver who allegedly ran over a person on the Outer Ring Road in the city.

The police said that the incident took place in the early hours of January 14 when a 34-year-old pillion rider, Dinesh Bhatt, fell on the road in a self-accident in Kamakshipalya Traffic Police Station limits. Dinesh, a native of Nepal who had been employed at a canteen of a private college in Bengaluru, was riding pillion with his friend, Tikraj Bhatt, 33, to visit a friend in Hebbal.

The traffic police said that Tikraj was allegedly drunk at the time and was overspeeding due to which he lost control of his bike and crashed on the road.

Both of them sustained severe injuries after falling on the road. Meanwhile, a speeding goods vehicle coming from behind allegedly ran over Dinesh, killing him on the spot and sped away without stopping. A few locals alerted the patrolling police. Tikraj, who noticed his friend was crushed to death, jumped from a 200 feet flyover in panic and suffered severe injuries.

The police suspect he did this to escape getting involved in the police case. The Kamakshipalya traffic police shifted Dinesh's body along with Tikraj to a hospital and registered a case of hit-and-run. Following a probe, a team led by Police Inspector Yogesh tracked down the vehicle.

The police gathered the CCTV footage from in and around the area and after verifying footage, found the killer vehicle with a picture of a cow head. Following the lead, the police tracked down the vehicle to Tubinakere in Mandya district and seized the vehicle belonging to a beverage distributor company.

Owner of the vehicle and the driver were booked by the police. Deputy Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru West Division, Anitha B Haddannavar said the duo have been remanded to judicial custody and a charge sheet has been filed against them.

The police said they confirmed the involvement of the vehicle through blood stains and tissue found on the vehicle after six months by the FSL team before arresting the driver and owner of the vehicle. The police further booked Tikraj for drunk driving and causing death due to negligence.