Bengaluru's New Year celebrations took a violent turn when a drunk-driving advocate rammed his vehicle into a group of pedestrians outside a popular mall, leaving four people injured. The incident occurred on Wednesday night, casting a shadow over the festive atmosphere in the city.
Advocate's Drunken Rampage Near Phoenix Mall
According to an FIR registered at the Sanjaynagar traffic police station, the accused has been identified as Sunil Kumar Singh B, a 48-year-old law practitioner from Vidyaranyapura. The police stated that Singh was driving under the influence of alcohol when the accident took place at 10:20 pm outside the Phoenix Mall of Asia in Sahakarnagar near Hebbal.
Singh was behind the wheel of a Mahindra XUV 700 (KA-05-NP-3609) with his wife in the passenger seat. While exiting the mall premises, he reportedly lost control of the vehicle. Driving in a rash and negligent manner, the SUV first crashed into metal barricades installed near the pavement before plowing into the pedestrians.
The injured victims have been named as Akkamma (30), Chandrashekhar (36), Rajalakshmi (53), and Prajwal (27), along with a few others. All four sustained injuries in the shocking hit-and-run.
Police Action and Security Lapse
In a significant move, the police have booked not only the driver but also a security official from the mall. Sunil Kumar Singh is the primary accused (Accused No. 1) in the case. The security in-charge of Phoenix Mall of Asia has been named as the second accused.
A senior police officer explained the rationale behind charging the security personnel, stating, "We booked the security personnel since they should have stopped Singh from driving in an inebriated condition." This highlights an alleged failure in the mall's security protocol to prevent a visibly intoxicated person from getting behind the wheel.
Parallel Crackdown on Illegal New Year Party
In a separate incident on the same night, Bengaluru police raided an illegally organized New Year party at a homestay on the city's outskirts. The raid took place around midnight at Echoes Homestay in Heggadehalli near Doddaballapura.
A case has been registered against the homestay owner, Srinivas, for hosting a loud party with alcohol without obtaining prior permission from the authorities. Police officials confirmed that most attendees were IT professionals.
During the raid, authorities seized the following items:
- One large sound box
- Five liquor bottles
- Five plastic glasses
The police clarified that no drugs were found at the venue. The twin incidents underscore the heightened police vigilance and the dangers of reckless behavior during year-end festivities in India's tech capital.
