Bengaluru, 30 Sept

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Tuesday dismissed BJP and JD(S)’s allegations that the college student who died during a road accident in Bengaluru was caused by potholes. Shivakumar called the claims a “hoax”.

The remarks come a day after 20-year-old Dhanushree, a final-year B Com student, died after being allegedly hit from behind by atipper truck near Budigere Cross while riding a two-wheeler.

Following the incident, the BJP said that 60 per cent of the roads in the State has turned “into a death trap due to misrule by the Congress government.”

The party’s official State handle on X said, “It is unfortunate that a student has lost her life because of a pothole on the roads of Silicon City. The roads of Bengaluru, which were supposed to facilitate smooth traffic, are instead endangering the lives of commuters every day. This exposes the poor performance of Shivakumar.”

The BJP also questioned Shivakumar on a recent deadline given to contractors to fill potholes and the utilisation of Rs 750 crore allocated for the purpose.

“What happened to the deadline you had given to officials?” the party said.

Similarly, the JD(S) wrote on X, "Student Sacrificed for Congress' Commission!"

Reacting to the Opposition’s claims, Shivakumar said, “It is all false. They are only spreading a hoax.”

While some alleged she lost control after abruptly changing direction to avoid a pothole, police said they were examining CCTV footage to ascertain the exact sequence and cause of the accident.