NewsKarnataka-Belgaum
Belgaum: In Belgaum, the driver of a mini-lorry lost control of the vehicle, which jumped over the road divider and ploughed its way into the oncoming traffic hitting two motorcycles, a car and a goods vehicle on a ghat section near Vantamuri, about 20 km from Belgaum. In all, Seven persons were killed and nine injured in the accident on the National Highway 4.
In this incident, three of the 11 persons injured are battling for their lives in the district government hospital. Of those killed four are women. The mini-lorry driver and cleaner, who suffered minor injuries, have been taken into custody.
The police, who rushed to accident site on the Pune-Bangalore National Highway, said that the mini-lorry first hit a motorcycle killing its driver instantaneously. Later, it ran over another motorcycle killing two riders. Then, it ploughed into a car, killing two of its occupants.
The mini-lorry overturned but only after ramming into another goods carrier, killing another two occupants.
The victims have been identified as Vijay Khannukar (32) and his wife, Smita (27), Indumati Mahadev Pujar (55), Malu Karishna Krishnapgol (43), Padma (40), Pradeep Shivabasappa Karoshi (20) and Abhijit Anant Devan (28).
Of the injured, the condition of Kamala Komal Katakugol (35), Gangamma N. Yellapurkar (40) and Renuka Pujari (35) was said to be critical. All the victims are residents of Machhe and Rajaram Nagar in Belgaum. All of them were stated to be returning to Belgaum after praying at a temple in Sankeshwar town.
The district hospital presented a pathetic scene with grief-stricken kith and kin of the injured and dead rushing there.
