HYDERABAD: A 21-year-old engineering student succumbed to injuries suffered at a gokart track at Gurramguda, The organisers and supervisor have been arrested by Rachakonda Police of Hasten Go-Karting agency for negligence. They have also been booked under the Disaster Management Act for resuming operations without permissions.
K Varshini, 21, an engineering student from FCI Colony in Vanasthalipuram, along with her uncle, brother and cousins went to Hasten Go-Karting at Gurramguda to have fun.
While Varshini and her uncle Kiran sat in a two-seater vehicle, four of her cousins opted for single seat go-kart vehicles. Before starting, all the riders wore masks and they were given helmets. Kiran was driving the vehicle in which Varshini sat While she and her uncle were riding the go-kart, her helmet came off and her hair got tangled in the rear wheel with her head hitting the head-rest of the seat and she got injured, Rachakonda Commissioner of Police Mahesh M Bhagwat said.
Varshini suffered severe head injury as her head rammed against the head rest and she succumbed while undergoing treatment at a local hospital on Thursday afternoon,” Meerpet sub-inspector (SI) Anantha Ramulu said.
Investigation revealed that the managing partners were running the go-kart without a valid licence and did not take safety measures, the police said the cause of the death was negligence on the part of the three arrested.
Also, they did not obey instructions and guidelines issued by state and central governments during the lockdown due to COVID-19, they said.
Police said we have arrested two organisers of Hasten Go-Karting, M Kiran Kumar and G Lohith Reddy, and manager K Srikanth. The licence they obtained for operation of Hasten Go-Karting from Badangpet municipality ended in 2017.
The Police has seized the vehicle, damaged helmet and damaged cell phone of the victim. “Though CCTV camera was there at the starting point and at one end of the track but there are no cameras to cover the entire ride,” the SI said.
Several go-karting agencies are operating in the city at Kompally, Ghatkesar, Shamshabad, Gandipet and Necklace Road. While the Ghatkesar one is yet to reopen after the lockdown, the rest have resumed operations. Police said the organisers usually take permission from tourism department, municipal corporation, fire department and RTA before approaching them.
By Journalist Natalia Moses
A18TELANGANANEWS
