HYDERABAD: The death of a two-wheeler rider in a road accident in Balanagar on Sunday led to tension after his family members and others staged a protest on the road, accusing a traffic constable of being responsible for the motorist’s death, prompting police to resort to a lathicharge to disperse the mob. The deceased, Joshi Babu, was a carpenter and resident of Roda Mistry Nagar in Shapurnagar.

A criminal case of negligence causing death has been registered against the constable on the complaint of Babu’s family members.
On Sunday afternoon, traffic police deployed at IDPL near the Balanagar traffic police station were conducting vehicle checking. During the drive, constable Gopal asked Babu to stop his bike. In the process, Babu fell off the two-wheeler and came under the wheels of a TGSRTC bus, which was travelling next to him, and died on the spot.
When his family members learnt about the accident, they rushed to the spot. The protesters, who had gathered in large numbers on the main road in Balanagar, blocked the busy road, causing a traffic jam for over 30 minutes. As the crowd refused to budge, police resorted to a mild lathicharge to make way for the stranded commuters.
According to Babu’s friend, who was among the protesters, the accident happened when the carpenter was on the way to Balangar from Shapurnagar after getting a call from his younger brother. His friend claimed, “The constable held Babu’s collar to stop him and, in the process, he fell and an RTC bus coming from behind ran over him.” While demanding action against the constable, the protesters also accused the police constable of being drunk.
Meanwhile, police reviewed the CCTV footage. “We found that the constable made no effort to physically catch and stop the motorist. When he was told to stop, the motorist gave the impression that he was stopping and suddenly started his bike. While trying to evade the traffic police, he skidded and came under the rear wheels of the RTC bus,” deputy commissioner of police (Medchal Zone Traffic) Gunasekhar told TOI.
Responding to whether the constable was drunk, police said that the constable had been sent for a medical examination to ascertain the fact.