Four, including 2-year-old, killed in Karnataka's Bagalkote as tractor falls in ditch

A tractor carrying migrant laborers in Karnataka plunged into a ditch, resulting in the deaths of four individuals, including a toddler.

Four people, including a two-year-old child, lost their lives after a tractor they were travelling in plunged into a ditch in Bagalkote district of Karnataka in the early hours of Saturday, police said.

The migrant labourers worked in agriculture and were natives of Maharashtra. (Image generated by AI for representative purposes)

The fatal accident occurred around 2 am when a tractor, which had been used for sugarcane harvesting, was returning after work, police said. During the journey, the trailer attached to the tractor reportedly became detached and fell into a roadside ditch, leading to the deaths, news agency PTI reported.

According to police, the incident took place near Katte Kere in Jamkhandi taluk of the district. The tractor was carrying a group of migrant labourers at the time of the mishap.

The deceased were identified as Manish Pande (23), a two-year-old child Halaki Pande, Lakshmi Chirmadi (27) and Rekha Bhuke. All four were residents of Gupwadi village in Busa taluk of Yavatmal district in Maharashtra, police said, as per the report.

Police officials stated that all the victims were migrant workers who had travelled from Maharashtra for agricultural labour. Around 20 people were reportedly travelling on the tractor when the trailer got detached and overturned into the ditch, they added.

Following information about the accident, personnel from the Jamkhandi police station rushed to the spot. The police conducted a preliminary inspection at the site and later shifted the bodies to a government hospital for post-mortem examination.

A case has been registered in connection with the incident, and further investigation is underway to determine the exact circumstances that led to the trailer detaching from the tractor, police said.

(With inputs from PTI)