Sullia: Three persons sustained severe injuries after a lorry lost control and overturned onto a parked Tempo Traveller carrying tourists near Devarakolli in Aranthodu on Wednesday evening, August 26.
The accident occurred near Devarakolli Abbi Falls, where a group of tourists from Ahmedabad in Gujarat had temporarily parked their Tempo Traveller by the roadside while travelling from Madikeri towards Mangaluru.
According to available details, the lorry was travelling on the same route towards Sullia when the driver allegedly lost control of the vehicle. The lorry then toppled directly onto the parked Tempo Traveller, causing extensive damage and leaving several people injured.
Tourist vehicle parked near Abbi Falls
The Tempo Traveller was carrying seven tourists from Ahmedabad who were travelling through the region towards Mangaluru.
The group had reportedly stopped near Devarakolli Abbi Falls and parked the vehicle along the roadside when the accident took place.
The tourists were inside the Tempo Traveller when the lorry overturned onto it. One of the passengers sustained critical injuries in the impact.
The sudden accident also caused severe injuries to the lorry driver and the cleaner.
Three seriously injured in crash
Emergency assistance was arranged soon after the mishap, and the injured were shifted by ambulances to a private hospital in Sullia for treatment.
The condition of the critically injured tourist and the two lorry occupants was not immediately known.
The accident drew the attention of people in the area, and efforts were taken to clear the damaged vehicles and restore normal movement along the route.
A crane was later brought to the spot to lift the overturned lorry from the Tempo Traveller and remove the vehicles from the highway.
Highway cleared after crane operation
The recovery operation continued after the injured were shifted to hospital. The overturned lorry had to be carefully lifted to prevent further damage to the passenger vehicle.
A crane was pressed into service to remove the lorry and clear the highway for traffic.
The accident highlights the danger posed by loss of control on hilly and winding stretches, particularly where vehicles are parked along the roadside near tourist spots.
Further details regarding the cause of the accident are awaited.