Seven people were killed in two separate road accidents in Karnataka on Sunday, while several others were injured. The first accident took place near Sibara village in Chitradurga taluk when a car rammed into a stationary lorry, killing five people, and the second accident took place in Chikkaballapur district, where a private bus collided with a car, setting it ablaze and killing two passengers, police officers aware of the matter said.
In Chitradurga, the deceased were identified as Shantamurthy (66), a retired BMTC employee from Bengaluru; Rudraswamy (67) from Vidyaranyapura; Mallikarjuna (70) from Eeranna Layout in North Bengaluru; Chandrahasa (67); and Srinivasa (68). Another occupant, N Dambarachar (72), sustained serious injuries and is undergoing treatment. Police believed that the victims were returning from the Renuka Yellamma temple in Savadatti, Belagavi, as prasada (holy offerings) were found in the vehicle.
According to Chitradurga Rural Police Inspector N Tippe Swamy, the accident took place when the speeding car, driven by Shanthamurthy, lost control and crashed into the lorry from behind. “Prima facie, it appears that rash and negligent driving led to the accident. The lorry driver is also at fault as he parked the vehicles along the road, which is not permitted on national highways. A case has been registered in this connection, and we have launched an investigation to locate the lorry driver, who fled the scene,” he said.
Superintendent of police Ranjith Kumar Bandaru said that the lorry, registered in Tamil Nadu, was parked near Tamattakallu on National Highway 48. “It appears that the car did not apply brakes before the collision. The impact was so severe, that the car got severely mangled,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}Superintendent of police Ranjith Kumar Bandaru said that the lorry, registered in Tamil Nadu, was parked near Tamattakallu on National Highway 48. “It appears that the car did not apply brakes before the collision. The impact was so severe, that the car got severely mangled,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}In the second accident, a private bus heading to Tirupati from Bengaluru collided head-on with a car at Gopalli Gate in Chintamani taluk of Chikkaballapur district. Following the collision, the car caught fire, killing two occupants — Dhananjaya Reddy (31) and Kalavati (50), both from Andhra Pradesh. Three others in the car — Uma, Shobharani, and three-year-old Manvitha — escaped with minor injuries and were taken to Chintamani Taluk Government Hospital.
Chintamani Rural police inspector B Shivaraju confirmed that the victims had attended a family function at Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh, and were returning to Bengaluru when the accident happened. “The bus driver lost control and rammed into the car coming from the opposite direction, following which the car went up in flames. The bus overturned, but its passengers were unharmed. The deceased were burnt beyond recognition. Fire personnel arrived at the scene to extinguish the blaze. A case has been registered, and an investigation is underway,” he said.