Two killed as lorry hits auto, mobike

In a gruesome incident two persons were killed on the spot, while two others including a 12-year-old boy suffered injuries when a lorry rammed into an autorickshaw and motorcycle near Bogadi outer-ring road junction on Thursday.

The mishap triggered a tense atmosphere for several hours from around 3 pm, with the mob burning tyres in the middle of the road alleging inaction on the part of the authorities concerned.

The deceased have been identified as S K Muralikrishna (65), a resident of T K Layout and two-wheeler rider Ashok (22) of Kaniyanahundi in the taluk. The injured are- auto driver Murthy also of T K Layout who has suffered fracture, and Ashok’s cousin Prashanth, aged 12 years, who has sustained head injuries.

Muralikrishna who had retired as the principal of Marimallappa’s College, was serving as dean at SVEI College in Vijayanagar fourth stage. He had hired the autorickshaw for pick and drop regularly and was travelling towards the college from home, after lunch. Ashok was a businessman. His alliance was fixed with a girl from KRS and marriage was scheduled for February next.

V V Puram traffic police who have registered a case said the mishap occurred when the rice laden lorry collided head on with the autorickshaw and two-wheeler coming from the opposite direction. The lorry was moving towards Bogadi from Hinkal outer-ring road junction. The lorry driver who fled after abandoning the vehicle was later traced at Saraswatipuram.

According to preliminary investigation, the lorry may be moving in a high speed with tryre marks caused due to sudden application of brakes, which dragged the lorry up to 25 feet and the skid marks found near the spot. The police also ruled out any chances of disturbance in the line of sight, for all the three vehicular users.

As soon as the mishap occurred, the angry locals blocked the road and resorted to protest. They also hurled a wooden log damaging the windscreen of the lorry, besides burning tyres in the middle of the road. Sensing trouble, police summoned additional forces, yet it seemed measly in the midst of growing number of agitators. At times, police personnel had to use mild force to disperse the crowd.

Requests unheard

Though it’s a four lane road, a part of the road (two lane) remains to be asphalted forcing the vehicular users at places to take to two-lane road making it a two-way. The very incident has occurred on a two-way, exposing the callousness on the part of the authorities concerned.

Adding credence to this, a police officer preferring anonymity told Deccan Herald, they have written to the authorities for closing the openings (space that allows vehicles to cross over to other sides), high mask lamps, and most importantly, the completion of the works that is going on at a snail’s pace.