Revenue dept former official dies in road accident

Revenue department former assistant commissioner Dr K A Appaiah (63), died in a freak road accident which occurred at Torenuru on Madikeri-Hassan state highway on Tuesday.

The retired official, along with his wife, was on his way to attend a religious ritual at his native place, Kumbaladalu near Moornadu in Madikeri taluk. Appaiah’s wife Meenakshi has sustained serious injuries and has been admitted to a hospital in Mysuru.

A lorry approaching in the opposite direction rammed the car Appaiah was driving. As a result, the car hit the protective fence on the left side of the road. Appaiah who was driving the car died on spot. Lorry driver Prakash is injured and is being treated at Community health centre in Kushalnagar.

Appaiah’s pet dog too was travelling in the car, along with the couple. After the accident, the dog came out of the car and started barking. When a relative of Appaiah tried to get the dog into his car, the pet dog refused to leave his owner. The incident moved everyone gathered at the spot.

Appaiah had worked as the personal secretary to three chief ministers of the state — S M Krishna, B S Yeddyurappa and D V Sadananda Gowda.

Later he returned to his parent department and had served till retirement. Post-retirement, Appaiah had settled in Hebbal in Bengaluru. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.