In one of the most heart-wrenching road tragedies in recent times, seven people, including six school students, were killed in a horrific multi-vehicle accident near M Sathyavara village on the Hoskote-Dabaspete National Highway.
The accident occurred in the early hours of Friday when a speeding Mahindra XUV 700, carrying a group of teenagers on a reported joyride, rammed into a motorcycle before crashing into a Canter truck. The impact was so severe that the truck and the motorcycle were flung across the median, while the mangled SUV skidded nearly 500 metres before halting.
Students on early morning joyride
Preliminary investigations suggest the students, aged between 17 and 18 and studying in Classes 10 and 12, had left their homes around 3 am without informing their families. They were reportedly travelling from Kolar towards Devanahalli when the SUV first rear-ended the motorcycle.
The deceased students have been identified as Ashwin Nayar (17), Arhaan Sharif (17), Ayaan Ali (17), Bharat (18), and Ethan George (17). The sixth student victim and the SUV driver are among the deceased. The motorcyclist, Gagan, a private company employee, also lost his life in the collision.
Sole breadwinner lost
Gagan had just completed his 5 pm to 3 am shift and was returning home when the tragedy struck. He was the sole breadwinner for his visually impaired mother, leaving the family devastated beyond measure.
Grief engulfed families at the Hoskote government hospital, where many parents were initially informed that their children were seriously injured, only to later learn of their deaths.
Probe underway
IGP (Central) Labhu Ram and Bengaluru Rural Superintendent of Police Chandrakant visited the accident site. Police have registered a case, and investigations are underway to determine whether overspeeding or possible inebriation led to the crash. The bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination.