Bhatkal: Two lorry drivers were injured, and one side of NH 66 was blocked after a head-on collision between two lorries in Shirali.
Yasir Armar, a young man from Bhatkal who was passing by the Shirali Highway, reported that one lorry was exiting a petrol pump when another lorry, traveling from Mangalore to Hubli, collided with it at high speed. The impact was so severe that both drivers were trapped inside their cabins.
The accident occurred around 10 PM on Friday night, and it took until 1 AM to rescue the drivers after significant effort. Both drivers were rushed to the Bhatkal Government Hospital, with one suffering severe head injuries and the other sustaining a leg injury.
According to Yasir, a large crowd quickly gathered at the scene after the accident. A long queue of vehicles formed on one side of the highway, causing a traffic jam on the Hubli-bound lane.
With the help of local residents, the local police successfully extricated both drivers after considerable effort. A crane, JCB, and gas cutters were used to cut parts of the cabin and free the trapped drivers. The lorries were also separated after significant effort.
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