Bagalkot: A collision between a diesel tanker and a goods vehicle carrying passengers, led to the death of 14 persons, including three women, injuring six others. The accident took place on the Belagavi-Raichur State Highway near Lokapur village in Mudhol taluk of Bagalkot district on Friday.
According to the police, the accident occurred when the diesel tanker, on its way to Vijayapura from Belagavi, hit the goods vehicle that was bound for Gadanahatti village in the taluk.
The police said that 10 persons died on the spot while four died on the way to hospital.
Fire and Emergency Services personnel, who rushed to the spot, took preventive steps to safeguard the diesel tanker from bursting into flames.
Eyewitnesses said that the impact of the accident was severe and the goods vehicle was rendered a mangle of metal, while the bodies were strewn all over the road.
According to the police, most of the victims hailed from Dadanahatti, Kasanageri, Killahosakoti and Lokapur village.
After the accident, the driver of the tanker is said to have fled the scene. The tanker belongs to Basanagouda Nadagouda of Vijayapura.
Of the dead, 12 were identified as Somappa, Hanumant, Ramanna, Satyappa, Subhash, Enkanna, Rajesab, Ramangouda, Venkavva, Yamunavva, Kallollappa and Lakkavva.
After the incident, Superintendent of Police Yuda Matin Marbaniang and other police officials visited the sport and shifted the victims to the Lokapur government hospital.
Meanwhile, the police had tough time in ensuring law and order as hundreds of people belonging to the victims’ villages gathered outside the hospital.
The relatives of the victims were inconsolable, eyewitnesses said.
Lokapur police have registered a case.
