As many as five people, all related, were killed on the spot and four were injured In a road accident near Koppal late on Saturday.
The dead were identified as 60-year-old Devappa Koppad, 55-year-old Girijamma Koppad and 25-year-old Paravva Bhimappa, residents of Binnal village, 35-year-old Hanumappa, resident of Timmapur village, and 25-year-old Kasturi Nagappa, resident of Harlapur.
All these victims were related to each other.
The injured, 28-year-old Pallavi, seven-year-old Puttaraju, 35-year-old Harshavardhan and five-year-old Bhumika, have been admitted to the Koppal District Hospital. The condition of Puttaraju and his sister, Bhumika, is said to be critical.
As per information provided by the Koppal Police, the victims had come to Koppal for a birthday party organised at a hotel. After participating in the party, they were returning to their native village in a sports utility vehicle (SUV) when it hit a truck near Bhanapur, about 15 km from Koppal, at about 10.30 p.m.
It is learnt that the driver of the SUV made an attempt to overtake the truck but he found another vehicle in the opposite direction and in his bid to avoid a collision with that vehicle, lost control and hit the truck.
Speaking to The Hindu, Koppal Superintendent of Police Arunangshu Giri said that in a complainant, a son of one of the dead people, has said that Harshavardhan, driver of the SUV, was responsible for the accident. The Superintendent of Police quoted the complainant as saying that it was the SUV driver’s negligence that led to the accident.
“As many as five people were killed on the spot and four were injured. The injured were rushed to the District Hospital in Koppal. The condition of some of the injured is said to be critical. Their condition is being closely monitored in ICU. They might be shifted to a better facility,” Mr. Giri said.
