Among the 13 deceased, eight are women, three are men and two are children. All belonged to the same family.
Tempo traveller collides with lorry. (Supplied)
As many as 13 people died and four others were injured after a Tempo Traveller they were travelling in allegedly collided with a lorry from behind at Gundenahalli cross in Byadagi Taluk early on Friday, 28 June, police said.
According to police, the accident occurred around 3.45 am when the tempo traveller collided with a lorry which was parked on the side of National Highway 48 in Byadagi in Haveri district.
A total of 17 persons were travelling in the van. Of them, eleven people died on the spot while two others were declared dead at a hospital, a senior police official said. The deceased included two children.
Speaking with South First, Haveri SP Anshu Kumar said, “The intensity of the accident was severe and 13 people succumbed on the spot. Among them eight were women, three were men and two were children. All belonged to the same family. Four people have sustained grievous injuries.”
Among the four injured, two are admitted to the ICU of the hospital, he said.
Speaking of the accident, he confirmed, “The Tempo Traveller hit the parked lorry on the roadside. A total of 17 people were travelling in this Tempo Traveller. The vehicle was on high speed when it hit the lorry.”
“They have been moved to the hospital for medical care. The incident happened when they were returning from Maharashtra. The family had gone for a week-long trip,” stated the Haveri SP.
Police suspected that the driver dozed off resulting in the accident.
Because of the impact of the collision, the bodies were stuck in the mangled remains of the van and the fire brigade and police personnel had a difficult time extricating them, police said.
The deceased are identified as Parashuram Niddappa (45), Bhagya Sharanu (40), Nagesh Y (50), Vishalakshi Nagesh (40), Arpitha Nagesh (18), Subadhrabhai Yellapp (65), Poonam Ganeshappa (50), Manjulabhai Rangaswamy (62), Adarsh Nagesh (23), Manasa (24), Roopa P (24) Manjula Ramakrishna (50), all are residents of Yemehatti village of Shivamogga district.
The identity of one of the victims deceased is yet to be ascertained, police said.
Police further said Nagesh, Vishalakshi, Adarsh and Arpita were from the same family.
It is also learnt that Nagesh was behind the wheel.
“Nagesh had purchased a new van (Tempo Traveller) and had decided to pay his obeisance with his parents and relatives to Tulja Bhavani in Maharashtra, Renuka Yallamma in Savadatti and Mariyamma in Chincholi in Belagavi,” family sources said.
A case is being registered in connection with the incident, police said, adding further investigation is underway.
The bodies have been shifted to the mortuary and the injured have been admitted to Haveri Government Hospital, he said.
Meanwhile, President Droupadi Murmu condoled the loss of lives in the road accident and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.
“It is saddening to learn of the death of several pilgrims including women and children in a bus accident in Karnataka’s Haveri district. I offer my condolences to the families of the victims and pray for the speedy recovery of the injured,” Murmu said in a post on X.
It is saddening to learn of the death of several pilgrims including women and children in a bus accident in Karnataka’s Haveri district. I offer my condolences to the families of the victims and pray for the speedy recovery of the injured.
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) June 28, 2024
(With inputs from Mahesh M Goudar and PTI)
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