Police driver from Karnataka home minister convoy arrested as 2-wheeler rider killed in accident

He was living with his wife Vanajakshi and two daughters, studying in their Class 12 and Class 9, the police said.

Accident and aftermath

Home Minister’s convoy’s escort jeep that caused the accident. (Supplied)

After the accident occurred around 7.35 pm on Wednesday, the involved police escort vehicle — a Mahindra Bolero jeep that bore the registration number KA13 G 1467 — also came to a halt as it was damaged in its front due to the impact.

The driver of the jeep, a police personnel himself, along with a few other cops who were deployed alongside the road for smooth movement of the convoy rushed to help the victim, and managed to transport Ramesh in an autorickshaw to a primary healthcare centre in the Chikkagandasi village.

From there, he was shifted in an ambulance to the Government Hospital in Hassan, where he was declared dead on arrival.

According to senior police officials, Home Minister Araga Jnanendra’s car was about 200-300 metres ahead of the police escort vehicle.

There was a gap between the minister’s car and the escort jeep, and Ramesh came into it all of a sudden from a crossroad.

The escort jeep was travelling at a good speed and rammed Ramesh’s two-wheeler from behind.

The accident happened in front of the Nayara petrol bunk on the main road in the Chikkagandasi village.

As the minister’s car had already passed through, neither the local police nor the escort jeep informed the minister about the accident right then. He was informed later, a senior police officer told South First.

Jnanendra had attended a BJP event — Vijaysankalpa Yatra — in Chamarajanagar and was heading towards Thirthahalli via Hassan when the accident occurred, said Hassan Superintendent of Police (SP) Hariram Shankar.

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Family furious

Ramesh had left home for work on Wednesday morning, and was headed to Janatha Bazar after supplying ice-cream boxes to a customer when he met with the accident.

Around 8 pm, Ramesh’s wife Vanajakshi was informed that her husband had met with an accident and had been taken to the government hospital in Hassan.

She rushed to the hospital and learnt that her husband was no more.

Vanajakshi and other residents of the village became furious when they learnt that the home minister’s convoy did not stop at the spot of the accident.

They gathered in large numbers before the Gandasi police station and started protesting against the minister.

However the police convinced her family and villagers that the involved escort vehicle had stopped, and the minister’s car, which was not involved in the accident, had passed through.

A post-mortem examination was performed on Ramesh’s body on Thursday, after which it was handed over to the family members.

While the Chief Minister’s Office announced an ex gratia of ₹2 lakh from the chief minister’s relief fund, Jnanendra announced an additional Rs 2 lakh for the deceased’s family from his side.

Arsikere MLA KM Shivalinge Gowda visited the house of Ramesh and offered compensation of ₹1 lakh to the family.

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