Six Ayyappa Swami devotees died on the spot and four sustained grievous injuries when the multi-utility van they were travelling by collided head-on with a rice-laden truck on the State highway near BG Kere in Molakalmur taluk early Tuesday morning.
The deceased are Ramu, 25; Murali, 20; Satishgowda, 20; Sanna Honnuraswamy, 28; Tirumala, 20; and Lankareddy, 36 – all residents of Bhatri Badavane in Bellary City.
The injured Vijay, Keshav, Veeresh and Kumar were rushed to Vijayanagar Institute of Medical Sciences, Bellary.
According to the police, the accident occurred when the devotees were returning to Bellary from Sabarimala in Kerala. The truck was heading towards Bangalore. Police said rash driving by the truck driver caused the collision.
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