9 killed, 14 injured as vehicle carrying migrant labourers hits truck in accident in Tumakuru

Nine persons, including two children, were killed and over 14 were injured in an accident near Kallembella in Sira taluk of Tumakuru district in Karnataka, around 110 km away from Bengaluru, on August 25. 

The accident occurred when a passenger vehicle tried to overtake a truck and, in the process, collided with an oncoming truck around 4.30 am on NH 48. The impact of the collision was such that the passenger vehicle overturned. Passers-by pulled the passengers out of the severely damaged vehicle. 

“The passenger vehicle was coming from Raichur to Bengaluru carrying labourers and their children. As against a capacity of 12, 24 people were travelling in the vehicle,” said Tumakuru Deputy Commissioner Y. S. Patil.

One of the survivors, Shivaraju, 16, told mediapersons that he was sitting right next to the driver. The vehicle was so packed, he said, that two persons were sleeping on the roof, of which one died.

All the deceased and injured are residents of Manvi, Devadurga and other parts of Raichur district who were migrating to Bengaluru in search of work.

The dead comprise four men, three women and two children, police sources said. This includes the driver of the vehicle Krishnappa and a mother-son duo Sujatha and Vinod, police sources said. The identity of all the deceased is yet to be ascertained.

The injured have been shifted to Sira Taluk Hospital and Tumakuru District Hospital who two persons with head injuries were taken to NIMHANS in Bengaluru.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has termed the accident heart-rending and offered condolences to the families who have lost their dear ones. He also announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 Lakh to the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 to the injured from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund.