Bhatkal: Ten vegetable vendors were killed, and 19 others injured when the lorry in which they were traveling fell into a 50-meter-deep gorge near Arbail Ghat on Gollapur NH 63 in Yellapur taluk, Uttara Kannada, Karnataka, on Wednesday early morning around 4:00 AM.
Among the injured, seven were critically wounded and shifted to Hubli KIMS Hospital for treatment.
The accident occurred when a truck carrying vegetables and vegetable traders was en route from Haveri to the Kumta Sante Market via the Yellapur route. While attempting to give way to an oncoming lorry, the truck moved too close to the edge of the road, collided with an electric pole, and plunged into a 50-meter-deep gorge.
Deputy Commissioner of Uttara Kannada, Lakshmi Priya, who rushed to the accident spot, told media persons that the accident took place around 4:00 AM on Wednesday. At the time of the accident, the truck was carrying 29 passengers. Nine people died on the spot, while one succumbed to injuries while being shifted to the hospital. She added that the Karnataka government has announced compensation for the victims' families.
Upon receiving the information, Karwar SP M. Narayan and Western Range IGP Amit Singh also rushed to the accident site to oversee the situation. IGP Amit Singh stated that preliminary investigations suggest the driver might have fallen asleep at the wheel, causing the accident. Despite the challenging forest terrain, police reached the site within 30 minutes of the accident.
Shiggaon MLA Yasir Khan Pathan also visited the site and confirmed that all ten victims were residents of his constituency, Savanur (Haveri). He said that he informed Chief Minister Siddaramaiah about the incident, and CM Siddaramaiah announced that ₹3 lakh would be provided as compensation to each victim’s family. Additionally, free treatment will be provided to all injured individuals.
Yellapur MLA Shivaram Hebbar clarified that the ongoing construction work at Arbail Ghat had no connection to the accident. He emphasized that the accident was caused by the driver's drowsiness rather than any fault in the construction work.
The ten deceased have been identified as: Faiyyaz Ahmed S/o Imam Sahab Jamkhandi (49), Waseem Allah Bakhsh (25), Kamaluddin alias Ijaz S/o Mushtaq Mulla (22), Mohammed Sadiq (28), Ghulam Hussain Jawali (21), Imtiaz S/o Mohammed Jaffer (36), Hussain Miya alias Alfaz, S/o Mohammed Jaffer (24), Jailani S/o Abdul Ghaffar Zakati (19), Mazhar Raza alias Aslam (23) and Jalal Basha (26).
MP Vishveshwar Hegde Kageri expresses condolences:
Uttara Kannada MP Vishveshwar Hegde Kageri expressed his grief over the tragedy, calling it a shock for the district. "The pain of these families and the grief of their parents is unbearable," he said. He also wished for the injured to recover quickly, acknowledging the challenges faced by those who travel to other towns for work.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a message posted on his official social media platform X, expressed condolences and announced an ex-gratia from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF). Each deceased's next of kin will receive ₹2 lakh, and the injured will be granted ₹50,000.
A case has been registered at the Yellapur police station, and investigations are ongoing.