Mangaluru: Truck runs amok, rams into rickshaw, car; 5 killed, 3 injured

Mangaluru, Jun 10: At least five persons died on spot and three others sustained severe injuries in a ghastly road mishap involving three vehicles at Valachil on the outskirts of the city on Friday.

Eye witnesses said that the over-speed container truck rammed into an auto-rickshaw and a Maruti 800 car. The impact was such that both the car and rickshaw were reduced into bundles of metals.

Among the deceased Muhammad Nazeer (29), son of Yusuf, a resident of Sajipa in Bantwal was riding the auto-rickshaw. Muhammad Salam (20), Son of Siddeeq from Nandavara, Sinan (16), son of Hameed, were travelling in the same rickshaw. Abbas (40), a resident of Vittla was on board the car. Husain (20), a resident of Adyar, was a pedestrian.

Police sources have confirmed the five deaths in the accident. However, the death toll may increase as the condition of at least two injured is extremely critical.

According to sources, the driver of the truck, which was plying towards Mangaluru from BC Road, lost control over his vehicle, and rammed into the road divider.

The truck climbed the divider and hit the two vehicles coming from the opposite direction on the other side of the road.

Six people, hailing from Nanadavar in Bantwal, were travelling on board the ill-fated auto-rickshaw. Four of them died on spot. Then the truck rammed a car. 

The accident resulted in traffic block on the National Highway 75 for well over an hour. Hundreds of people gathered at the accident spot.

The police foiled an attempt by a few enraged persons to set the killer container on fire. The traffic jam was cleared after the mangled vehicles were cleared from the spot. The jurisdictional police have registered a case in this regard.