Five killed, 23 injured in separate road accidents in Karnataka

Bengaluru, Aug 20
At least five people were killed and more than 23 others injured in two separate road accidents reported in Haveri and Mandya districts of Karnataka on Thursday.

In a separate incident in Udupi district, seven passengers had a narrow escape after a private bus caught fire near Brahmavar town in Udupi district.

Three people were killed and three others critically injured after a car rammed into a parked truck near Chalageri Cross on the outskirts of Ranebennur town in Haveri district in the early hours of Thursday.

The deceased have been identified as Siddharth, 27, Hasanmukhi, 29, and Yashoda Bai, 51. All three were residents of Davanagere city. The injured — Soundarya, Sindhu and one-year-old Kashvasri — were shifted to a private hospital in Davanagere for treatment.

According to preliminary information, the car was travelling from Ranebennur towards Davanagere when it collided with the parked truck. The Ranebennur Rural police have registered a case and launched an investigation. Further details are awaited.

In another accident, two people were killed and 20 others injured after a private sleeper bus overturned near Bellur Toll in Mandya district.

The accident occurred on the Mangaluru-Bengaluru highway after the bus reportedly hit a roadside signboard and overturned. Police suspect that overspeeding may have led to the accident. The injured were shifted to Bellur town hospital for treatment. The identities of the deceased are yet to be ascertained.

Meanwhile, seven passengers escaped unhurt after a private bus caught fire near Brahmavar in Udupi district.

The bus was travelling from Udupi towards Sagar when smoke was noticed inside the vehicle. The fire subsequently broke out in the electrical box and began spreading.

The conductor immediately stopped the bus and evacuated all seven passengers, averting a possible tragedy. Fire and Emergency Services personnel from Udupi rushed to the spot and extinguished the blaze.

Further details regarding the cause of the fire are awaited.