A spiritual outing ended in tragedy for eight friends after the multi-utility vehicle (MUV) they were travelling in overturned multiple times on a state highway near Doddaballapur on Tuesday morning. The mishap claimed five lives and left three others injured.
The group, comprising weavers, farmers, and small-scale traders, was en route to the Shri Bheemeshwara Temple in Gauribidanur taluk, Chikkaballapura district. They had rented a Toyota Innova for the journey.
The accident occurred around 10:45 a.m. between Nayakarandanahalli and Makali village. According to police, Murthy, the 50-year-old driver, attempted to overtake a truck on a narrow curve but was met head-on by an oncoming bus. While swerving to avoid a collision, he lost control, causing the vehicle to flip over at least seven times.
Victims who lost their lives have been identified as Eshwarappa (75), DN Kalappa (69), Purushottam (62), Gopinath (52), and the driver Murthy. Gopinath succumbed to his injuries shortly after being taken to a nearby hospital.
Those injured — Kumara (50), Srinivas (55), and Narayanappa (60) — are being treated for serious injuries.
Authorities noted the group often took walks together and shared a close bond. This drive to the temple was a planned group outing.
Police confirmed that the road is narrow, lacks a median, and is known for frequent accidents. Officials have urged motorists to exercise extreme caution when travelling on the route.