Five labourers crushed to death in Karnataka's Bagalkote, say police

Five labourers were tragically killed when a mud-laden tipper truck burst a tire, overturned and fell on them at Yatnatti cross on Sunday night

The police on Monday said that five people were killed when a mud-laden tipper truck overturned and fell on them in Bilagi taluk of Bagalkote district.

The victims, who were agricultural labourers, had finished their day’s work near Yatnatti village and were waiting at a bus stand, when the tragedy unfolded (Getty Images)

Five labourers were tragically killed when a mud-laden tipper truck burst a tire and overturned and fell on them at Yatnatti cross on Sunday night, according to police.

Bagalkot additional superintendent of police, Prasanna Desai said, “The family was waiting at Yatnatti cross for transportation to return home after completing their fieldwork when the driver of the tipper truck lost control after one of its tires burst while in motion.”

The Bilagi police said that the deceased were identified as Yankappa Shivappa Tolamatti (72), wife Yalawwa (66), son Pundalik (40), daughter Nagawwa (35), and her husband Ashok Ningappa Bammannavar (48). They were residents of Badardinni village in Bilagi taluk.

The police said that the victims, who were agricultural labourers, had finished their day’s work near Yatnatti village and were waiting at a bus stand when the tragedy unfolded. Police quoted witnesses as saying that the truck was moving at a high speed before the accident occurred and the driver fled the scene after the incident.

After the incident, passersby rushed to the scene and assisted the police in extracting the bodies, which were trapped in the mud.