Puttur councillor, 3 family members killed in accident

A town municipal council (TMC) member,  and three members of her family were killed and two others sustained injuries in a head-on collision between their jeep and a KSRTC bus, near Santyar bridge at Aryapur village on the outskirts of Puttur on Sunday evening.

Councillor Leena Mascarenhas(46), her husband Peter Mascarenhas, their son Prethesh (12) and Peter’s brother Antony Mascarenhas (42) are the dead.

The couple’s eldest son Preetham (17) and Peter’s niece Joslyn Mascarenhas, who are said to be critical, have been admitted to a hospital in Puttur.

They were returning home after attending a marriage at Parpunja, when the KSRTC bus proceeding from Puttur to Sullia hit the jeep, said the police. Leena Mascarenhas was recently elected from Parladka ward for the second consecutive term, while Peter was working as a non-teaching staff at St Philomena’s College in Puttur. Antony was working in a wood industry while Prethesh was a 6th standard student at Mai De Devus school. The couple is survived by two daughters, a son, four brothers and four sisters.

As soon as the news of the accident spread, a large number of people rushed to the spot as well as to the government hospital in Puttur, where the bodies were kept.

Health Minister U T Khader and MLA Shakunthala Shetty visited the hospital.

Following the accident, the movement of vehicles on the highway was blocked for nearly two hours.