50-year-old pourakarmika killed by a speeding truck while on her way to work in Bengaluru

Pourakarmika Saroja fatally struck by truck on way to work, just days before becoming permanent BBMP employee.

A 50-year-old pourakarmika, who was trying to cross West of Chord Road in Vijaynagar to attend work, was knocked down by a speeding truck on Tuesday (April 29, 2025) early morning. 

The deceased, Saroja, was working in Ward number 107 Shivanagar on a Direct Payment System (DPS) with Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). She was supposed to be made a permanent employee of the civic body on Thursday (May 1, 2025). 

At around 6.30 a.m., Saroja was on her way to the ward office to report to work. While she was trying to cross the busy West of Chord Road at Dhobi Ghat Signal, a truck that was waiting at the traffic signal suddenly started and moved ahead, knocking her down. She came under the front left wheel of the truck, which led to severe head injuries. Though she was immediately rushed to Victoria Hospital, doctors there declared her “brought dead.”

The truck driver abandoned the vehicle and fled from the scene. Vijaynagar Traffic Police have seized the truck and registered a case of causing death due to negligence against the unidentified driver. Efforts are on to track him down. 

Local BJP MLA S. Suresh Kumar condoled her death, and said the deceased was known to be a dedicated worker. Adding to the tragedy was the fact that she was killed just two days ahead of being made a permanent employee of the civic body, a longstanding demand of pourakarmikas, he said in a social media post.