Couples killed as car falls into 50-ft-deep gorge

Two couples were killed on the spot after an SUV they were travelling fell into a gorge near a coffee estate at Malleshanagudda near here on Monday.

The deceased are Vish-wanath Rai (65), his wife Pushpavathi (48), residents of Bantwal, and Raju Rai (63) and Mamtha (51) couple from Uppinangady. Sanjeev Shetty has sustained grievous injuries in the accident. The victims were going to Balehole on Monday night. The driver lost control of the speeding car at a curve as the vehicle veered off the road and fell into a 50-foot-deep trench. The incident came to light after Sanjeev Shetty, who has suffered injuries, informed the locals about the accident.