BELAGAVI VIEWPOINT
>> A Belagavi police official said pedestrians should not be crossing express way in the first place>> On an express way, vehicles are bound to be at top speeds, said a Belagavi resident
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BMW CAR SEIZED
Belgaum traffic police seized the BMW car after releasing Kyle on bail
DAMAGE TO CAR
Except for the bonnet, rear and front glasses and rear seats, no major damage
SEVEN ARRESTED
Seven persons accused of stone pelting and setting the car ablaze have been arrested
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BELAGAVI: While Aldona MLA Glenn Ticlo's son Kyle was arrested and later released on bail late Monday night after the BMW car he was driving fatally knocked down a girl on the express way along the outskirts of Belagavi city, questions are being raised on the very legality of pedestrians crossing express ways.
Social media in Belgaum and Goa has been abuzz about the incident and was involved in prolonged discussions over the nature of the road mishap, whether the Aldona MLA's son was responsible for the mishap and if he fell in the 'rich/influential/brash-kid-luxury-car' category of road mishaps.
A Belgaum police official on conditions of anonymity said the pedestrians should not be crossing the express way in the first place.
“By its very definition an express way is a wide highway designed for high-speed traffic. Pedestrians are expected to observe extra care near an express way and are not supposed to cross the express way.”
“They should be using either the service road or the underpasses specially created to allow people and vehicles moving slowly to cross over to the other side,” the police official said.
Many in Belagavi believed that Kyle, irrespective of whether he was an MLA's son or whether he was rich or influential, could not be held at fault for the fatal road mishap.
“While driving on an express way, vehicles are bound to be at top speeds. The driver cannot control the vehicle if a pedestrian surfaces suddenly, leaving no time to avert a collision,” remarked a resident of Belagavi, a view which was shared by many in the city.
Meanwhile, the Belgaum traffic police have seized the BMW car after releasing Kyle on bail.
“After registering a case, we arrested Kyle Ticlo and later released him on bail,” Traffic PI (North) RR Patil told The Goan.
Responding to a query on the extent of damage to the BMW car which had been set ablaze by an irate mob shortly after the road mishap, PI Patil said: “Except for the bonnet, rear and front glasses and rear seats, there was no major damage to the car.”
On the other hand, Malmaruti police have arrested seven persons accused of stone pelting and setting the car ablaze.
“We have arrested seven persons so far and looking out for a few more,” PI Gaddekar told The Goan.
To another query, PI Gaddekar said Kyle was travelling with his fiancée from Bangalore to Belgaum, at the time of the accident.
It may be recalled that Tehniyat Waheed Bishti (18) of Belagavi died while her younger sister was injured after they were allegedly knocked down by the BMW car driven by Kyle on Monday evening.
Officials from the Traffic North police station and Malmaruti police station here, said the incident took place at about 6 pm when the BMW car (GA-03 Z-0678), owned by the Aldona MLA and driven by his son, Kyle, struck Tehniyat Waheed Bishti (18), as she and her sister were crossing the express way. Tehniyat was rushed to Lakeview Hospital, but succumbed to injuries.
