Patna, Feb. 26: Reckless driving on the roads of the state capital claimed yet another life today when a 16-year-girl appearing for the matriculation exam was crushed to death by a speeding bus which hit the motorcycle she was riding pillion on.

Noor Fatima alias Gazala Kumari was being driven to her exam centre at BNR Training School around 9am when the bus, which was coming from the opposite direction, lost control and hit the two-wheeler near the Alamganj old police outpost.

Gazala was a student of Narayani Kanya High School in Patna City and stayed at Maroofganj locality under the Malsalami police station area.

Eyewitnesses said the teenaged girl was rushed to the Nalanda Medical College and Hospital for treatment. She, however, succumbed to her injuries. The driver of the bus managed to escape with the vehicle.

Gazala’s brother Danish told the police that his motorcycle was hit by the bus bearing registration number BR1P-5403. “I lost control over my motorcycle after being dashed by the bus. Gazala, who was riding pillion, fell on the road and came under the wheels of the bus,” he said.

By the time he raised an alarm, the bus had already crushed her. She was immediately taken to the hospital where she died during treatment.

“Though the passers-by tried to chase the bus, the driver managed to flee,” he said.

As news of Gazala’s death spread, a large number of people assembled on the Ashok Rajpath and disrupted traffic for close to two hours. The protesters burnt tyres on the road to vent their anger against rash driving in the area. They also demanded compensation for the victim’s family.

Traffic was restored on the road after the intervention of senior police officials, who assured the crowd that the drive would be booked at the earliest. Deputy superintendent of police (Patna City) Sushil Kumar said the bus had been seized from the New Bypass Road. “Efforts are on to arrest the driver,” he said, adding that a complaint had been lodged at the Alamganj police station .

The people of the area said the city roads have gained notoriety in the recent past over rash driving. Hardly a day passes without an incident, they alleged.

“The roads have been repaired. As a result, the buses are driven at breakneck speed and recklessly,” said Ramesh Poddar, a resident of City Chowk.

The girl’s father, Asrar Ahmad, was too distraught to speak to reporters.