A 25-year-old man died and several others were injured after a tempo traveller crashed into an electricity pole while attempting to avoid two youths allegedly performing bike-wheeling near Bengaluru’s Nagarabhavi Ring Road late on Saturday night, according to a report by Vijay Karnataka.
The deceased was identified as Manoj, a private company car driver from Laggerе. He was travelling to Mysuru with six friends in the tempo traveller when the crash occurred. Police said the vehicle was being driven by a man identified as Ravi.
According to the report, the tempo traveller was moving along the ring road when two youths allegedly approached from the opposite direction while performing wheelies and suddenly crossed into its path. Ravi reportedly tried to avoid hitting them, lost control of the vehicle and crashed into an electricity pole located on the road divider. The tempo traveller then overturned.
Manoj was seated in the front of the vehicle and sustained critical injuries in the crash. Police said he died at the scene. Ravi suffered injuries to both legs, while other occupants of the tempo traveller were also injured. The report said the injured included six people, although its detailed account separately identified the driver and other passengers as injured.
The youths allegedly involved in the wheeling fled from the spot without stopping, police said. A case has been registered at the Jnanabharathi Traffic Police Station. The report did not state whether the riders had been identified or arrested.
The crash has also raised concerns about emergency response at the location. Local residents told Vijay Karnataka that an ambulance did not reach the site for about an hour after the accident. They also alleged that the ambulance arrived without medical personnel. Residents said faster medical assistance could have allowed Manoj to be taken to hospital sooner, though the report does not establish whether a quicker response would have changed the outcome.
The incident comes amid continuing police action against dangerous bike-wheeling in Karnataka. The report said 2,324 cases were registered across the state between 2021 and 2025, while more than 1,200 driving licences had already been cancelled. Police action has included arrests, vehicle seizures and cancellation of registration certificates. In cases involving minors, action is also being taken against parents, while garages and mechanics accused of modifying motorcycles are being targeted.
Police have also deployed Cobra patrol personnel to monitor roads where wheeling is reported frequently. The Nagarabhavi crash will now be investigated through the traffic case registered at Jnanabharathi, including the circumstances surrounding the alleged wheeling, the fleeing riders and the emergency response after the collision.
