5 pilgrims killed in accident

Five pilgrims, including a woman, died on the spot and 12 others were injured when an SUV they were travelling by overturned after the  driver lost control over the vehicle on the Chikodi-Ankali Road near Lakshmi Nagar on the outskirts of the town on Thursday.

The dead are Shivling Nirwani Mudalgi (50), Balesh Ningappa Nagnur (32), Neelavva Satyappa Ankalgi (55) and driver Vikas Baban Patil (28), who died on the spot, while another victim Babu Patil, 60, died at the hospital.

According to the police, the victims were from Nirvanatti village in Hukkeri taluk and they were on their way to Yadur, a popular pilgrim centre. The injured have been shifted to a hospital in Belgaum. The Chikodi police have registered a case.