MOTORISTS have been urged to be cautious on Bahrain’s roads, after celebrations turned into tragedy for a Bahraini family who lost a teenager.
Thirteen-year-old Ebrahim Mohammed Al Mutawa was killed in an accident on Sunday night when a speeding car hit him as he was crossing a road off Budaiya Highway on his bicycle.
The 19-year-old Bahraini driver, who was taken into police custody, had joined street celebrations after Bahrain’s national football team won the Gulf Cup for the first time.
The incident happened at around 10pm on the road towards Salman Town from the Janabiya-Budaiya junction on Budaiya Highway.
Ebrahim ... died in a tragic accident
Bystanders at the accident scene
Last night another fatal accident happened in the same area.
A cyclist died instantly when he was hit by a car.
The deceased has been identified as 32-year-old Bangladeshi Sapon Nurujjaman.
According to official records, he was a gardener with Mohammed Hasan Al Mahroos Company.
Mr Nurujjaman
Area councillor Badriya Abdulhussain, who was present at the accident scene on Sunday night, has urged the public to be cautious this coming week, as celebrations continue into the National Day weekend with a series of activities and public events lined up across the country.
“The traffic police had warned people to be cautious and careful, especially with children, when the celebrations were on,” she told the GDN yesterday.
“However, celebrations are not by speeding and drifting, especially when people are out on the road, as it was a big day for us.
“This kind of celebration is unacceptable all over the world, by being reckless we gained no happiness, we only lost a precious life and a devastated family.”
She said another boy of around the same age was with the police at the scene as he narrowly escaped being run over by the car.
She described the accident as a tragedy that could have been prevented, as the family was still trying to come to terms with the incident.
“The boy’s mother was in a state of shock and the medics were trying to calm her,” said Ms Abdulhussain of Sunday night’s incident.
“Outside the ambulance, the father was also in a similar situation, wailing loudly, it was a heartbreaking scene.”
She added that while she was taking part in the street celebrations prior to the accident, she too was almost hit by a speeding car.
“I was celebrating with all the others and was in my car when one man was drifting in front of me, in the middle of the traffic jam,” she said.
“It was scary and we tried to move away, luckily, he did not hit my car or anyone else’s.”
MP Zainab Abdulamir, who extended her condolences to the Bahraini family, has also urged the public, especially motorists, to be “responsible” during upcoming celebrations.
“This is an occasion when Bahrain, from Duraz to Muharraq, barring sects and status, joined hands to celebrate,” she said.
“This is a historic time and as we move on to the National Day, celebrations are to continue and I urge all on the road to be careful as they drive.
“Please, we need to be responsible as the country is in a joyful mood, let us make sure that our acts do not cause pain to others.
“We need to follow the traffic rules and it is not the time to speed, but to enjoy in a peaceful manner.”
The Interior Ministry’s Traffic Directorate also called upon the public to obey traffic rules while taking part in the celebrations as the national football team returned home to a heroes’ welcome yesterday with the coveted Gulf Cup.
“Kindly avoid wrong practices that could risk your safety,” said the ministry.
“All are urged to follow instructions.”
Ebrahim was buried yesterday at the Barbar cemetery.
His father Mohamed Al Mutawa is from Sehla and his mother from Barbar, but the family live in Deraz.
raji@gdn.com.bh
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