A man in Karnataka resorted to a unique form of protest against potholes by rolling on the road. Visuals of Nityananda Olakadu were posted on Twitter by news agency ANI. The news agency identified him as a social worker and said he rolled on a stretch of road in Udupi on Wednesday to protest against potholes. During recent rain, videos showing waterlogged and pothole-filled streets of Karnataka's capital Bengaluru swept social media. The downpour resulted in large-scale destruction, affecting the normal life of people, with some complaining that the "brand Bengaluru" has taken a hit.
The video shows a tired Mr Olakadu rolling on the road filled with potholes. After a few rounds, he lies flat on his back with a few people seen around him.
#WATCH | Karnataka: A social worker named Nityananda Olakadu rolls on a stretch of a road as he protests in a unique manner against potholes on the roads in Udupi (14.09) pic.twitter.com/znCwZmPP1z
— ANI (@ANI) September 15, 2022
The video also carries the sound of drumbeats to encourage the social worker to carry on with his protest.
The protest carried out by Mr Olakadu is a type of ritual called 'Urulu Seve', which is popular in the southern state. Many people perform this rolling-on-the-floor type of ritual at temples for the welfare of society.
The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) last month released data, which said that 5,626 people died between 2018 and 2020 in accidents caused by potholes.
The ministry further said that total number of road accident deaths due to potholes in 2018, 2019 and 2020 stood at 2,015, 2,140 and 1,471, respectively.
Road features such as sharp curves, potholes and steep grade tend to be accident prone because it takes skill, extra care and alertness to navigate through such roads.
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