Three young men were killed, and two others were injured in a horrific road accident near KR Halli Gate in Hiriyur taluk of Karnataka’s Chitradurga district on Tuesday.
The accident happened on a busy stretch of road near KR Halli Gate. The vehicle behind the accident reportedly suffered a sudden tyre burst. The driver lost control of the heavy vehicle, and the lorry veered left, causing vehicles behind it to be caught in the accident, the police said.
The Swift Dzire car that was behind the lorry was unable to avoid the obstruction. The driver lost control of his vehicle in the moments after the tyre blast, and the car rammed into the lorry with great force. The car was badly damaged in the collision, and some people were trapped inside.
Three people in the car died in the terrible crash. Shashidhar (22), Manjunath (22) and Basavaraj (21) are Kushtagi natives. Their sudden deaths have left family members and the people who live in their hometown upset.
There were two others in the car who were injured. Emergency responders and local residents rushed to the site soon after the accident was reported. The injured were sent to Hiriyur Hospital for treatment. They are in good condition, but the extent of their injuries is not yet known, said the hospital.
It once again illustrates the dangers of unexpected mechanical failure on highways. A burst tyre in a heavy vehicle can be catastrophic, especially when other vehicles are travelling close behind. Road safety experts generally recommend keeping a distance from large commercial vehicles to reduce the chance of such accidents.
Police officers from Hiriyur Rural Police Station arrived and conducted an inspection. Traffic was stopped in the area for some time because the damaged vehicles were cleared off and evidence for the crash was collected. A case has been registered and an investigation is ongoing to determine the exact sequence of events leading to the tragedy.
Kushtagi and the surrounding area are also grieving over the deaths of three young men in the accident. As authorities continue to investigate, it is a reminder that vehicle maintenance and road safety awareness and cautious driving practices on Karnataka’s highways are required for that country’s roads.
