SHILLONG: The driver who was arrested for killing a woman vendor at Rilbong Point on Tuesday and critically injuring two others was epileptic, said police on Thursday.
East Khasi Hills SP Davis Marak said in a statement that the driver, Santosh Biswas, of the vehicle appeared to be a patient of epilepsy and if seizure was the cause of the accident, the matter also needs to be investigated as how he got the driving licence.
Biswas was driving a mini-van and lost control and mowed down the 22-year-old vendor, Pinky Begum near the Military Hospital in Rilbong.
Pinky, who sold kwai (betel nut) on the roadside, died on the spot. Her son and a pedestrian were injured in the incident.
With a gradual upswing in the number of road accidents, police have sought public co-operation in making city roads safe.
Marak said police are organising awareness and road safety programmes but “the number of vehicles is increasing and traffic snarl is on the rise and it needs to be resolved at the earliest”.
Congestion on roads makes it difficult for pedestrians to walk. Even hawkers at GS Road and Motphran junction sit along the road risking their life while vehicles are plying next to them.
Reckless driving, especially at night, is another reason for the increasing number of road accidents.
It may be mentioned that traffic violation is rampant in East Khasi Hills, especially Shillong, with nearly 7,000 traffic offences committed in the district in the first four months of the year.
As per the Shillong Traffic police, 6,948 traffic offences were committed since January till April this year.
