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Karnataka: 13 including four women dead in road accident in Chikkaballapura; CM announces ₹2 lakh ex-gratia
Fog and low visibility suspected to be the cause of the accident.
In a tragic turn of events, as many as 13 lives were lost in Karnataka's Chikkaballapura when an SUV rammed into a tanker. The incident occurred on Thursday morning at 7 am on the outskirts of the district headquarters, according to news agency PTI.
All thirteen of the deceased were traveling in the SUV, four of whom were women. They were on their way to state capital Bengaluru from Andhra Pradesh's Anantapur district when the fatal crash happened on National Highway 44.
The SUV reportedly crashed into a tanker that was parked on the side of the highway. Fog and low visibility is said to have been the reason for the tragedy. All of the victims were natives of Gorantla in Anantapur district and did not come from the same family, according to a police official.
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Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah expressed grief over the incident and announced an ex gratia of ₹2 lakh to the kin of the victims. He took to social media site ‘X’, writing, “I was deeply saddened to hear the news that 13 people died in a terrible accident that happened near Chitravathi in Chikkaballapur today. I pray for the departed soul to rest in peace. The families of the unfortunate deceased will be given Rs. 2 lakh compensation.”
Of the nine men and four women, twelve are said to have been killed on the spot, while one succumbed to injuries while being treated at a hospital.
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"Twelve people died on the spot in the accident while one critically injured person who was being treated at a nearby hospital succumbed to injuries. All of them were travelling in the vehicle from Anantapur to Bengaluru and on the way, the vehicle collided with a stationary tanker," D L Nagesh, Superintendent of Police, Chikkaballapura told reporters.
“The victims, including the driver of the four wheeler, who also died in the accident, hailed from Anantapur district. The exact cause of the accident is yet to be ascertained. However, low visibility due to fog is also suspected to be one of the reasons which needs to be verified,” a senior police officer said, as quoted by the agency.
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Cops have registered a case of accident under several sections of the IPC and further probe is underway. More details are awaited and will be updated shortly.
(With PTI inputs)
