A labourer on Saturday became the first victim of 'killer' Blueline buses in 2008 in New Delhi when he was ran over by the vehicle.

Raja, who was on his bicycle, was run over by a Blueline bus plying between Mayur Vihar and Kashmere gate near Kondli bridge at around 11:45 am, a senior police official said.

He was rushed to Lal Bahadur Shastri hospital where doctors declared him dead. The driver and the conductor of the bus fled the scene and a hunt is on to nab them.

Residing in Khicdipur area, Raja is survived by his wife and a three-year old son.

The Blueline buses earned notoriety in 2007 as they claimed 128 lives in the National Capital Region, prompting the police to crack the whip on erring drivers.

The Bluelines were involved in 376 accidents in 2007 as compared to 371 in 2006.

However, there was a decline in the number of fatal accidents involving Bluelines in the fourth quarter of 2007. The accidents in the first quarter was 91, 101 in second, 103 in third and 83 in the last quarter.

Eighty Blueline buses were recommended to the government for cancellation of its permits as its speed governors or registration numbers were tampered with.