Probe begins into road accident that claimed lives of techie, kin

According to preliminary investigations, an Eicher truck carrying several tonnes of aluminium pillars was heading to Bengaluru when the driver lost control of the vehicle

A day after six members of a family, including Chandram Yegapagol, MD and CEO of IAST Software Solutions, were killed in an accident near Nelamangala, Bengaluru rural district, police said that they are investigating if a blue car that allegedly suddenly emerged may have led to the accident.

Six members of a family, including Chandram Yegapagol, MD and CEO of IAST Software Solutions, were killed in an accident near Nelamangala on Saturday (File photo)

The accident took place at around 11 am when Yegapagol was travelling in his new Volvo XC90 with his wife Gaurabai (42), their children Gyan (16), and Deeksha (12), his sister-in-law Vijayalakshmi (36), and her daughter Arya (6). A container truck carrying aluminium pillars overturned onto the SUV.

According to preliminary investigations, an Eicher truck carrying several tonnes of aluminium pillars was heading to Bengaluru when the driver lost control of the vehicle. To avoid a collision with another vehicle, the truck swerved across the median and overturned onto the Volvo before hitting a tempo. The tempo sustained minimal damage, but the Volvo was crushed.

Truck driver Arif, from Jharkhand, sustained injuries and is undergoing treatment. Speaking to the media, Arif blamed “a blue car” for the accident, claiming that its driver suddenly applied brakes, forcing him to take evasive action. “To avoid hitting the blue car, I turned the steering wheel towards the divider. But when I saw another vehicle coming from the opposite direction, I swerved back, causing the container to fall,” he said.

The Nelamangala traffic police have booked Arif under sections 281 (rash driving), 125(a) (acts endangering human life), and 106 (causing death by negligence) of the BNS. Police said CCTV footage of the incident corroborates Arif’s version of events. “The driver of the blue car may have put the brakes suddenly, possibly to exit or head toward a restaurant. This action triggered the series of events. Efforts are underway to identify the owner of the blue car,” an investigating officer said.