Hassan: Four persons died on the spot and seven others were severely injured when a speeding truck collided head on with a Tempo Traveller near Belur on Monday.
The deceased have been identified as Manjunath, driver of the Tempo Traveller and passengers Manjunath, Shekar and Lokesh, said the police. However, the six injured have been shifted to a hospital in Bengaluru and one is under treatment in a private hospital in Hassan.
According to the Belur police, at around 6.20am a truck collided head on with a Tempo Traveller coming in the opposite direction at Kanayaknahalli off the State Highway 59. The truck, carrying plywood, was heading towards Belur from Chikkamagaluru and the tempo was heading towards Chikkamagaluru from Bengaluru. The collision was so powerful that half of the Tempo was crushed into pieces. All the 12 passengers of the Tempo, hailing from Adugodi and Wilson Garden area in Bengaluru were on a trip to Horanadu, Sringeri in Chikkamagaluru district and had left Bengaluru city at around 2am, said police.
However, the truck driver managed to escape from the scene, said the police. Belur police have registered a rash and negligent driving case against truck driver.
Youth crashes into divider; dies in hospital
In an another incident, Punith (21), who was severely injured after his two-wheeler hit a divider in Raipura Village in Belur on Sunday, died at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuroscience (NIMHANS) Hospital, Bengaluru on Monday.
Punith was heading towards Belur in his two-wheeler from his home town Chikkamagaluru. When he reached Raipura, Punith lost controller over two-wheeler and hit the divider.
Punith was admitted to NIMHANS immediately nut he breathed his last on Monday morning, informed the police.
