7 die as SUV crashes into lorry near Shivamogga

Seven persons died on the spot when the sports-utility vehicle (SUV) in which they were travelling rammed into a lorry ferrying timber on National Highway-206 at Muddinakoppa near Shivamogga on Wednesday midnight.

According to the police, the deceased have been identified as Praveen, a native of Magadi taluk in Ramanagaram district and a make-up artiste, Madhu, also from Magadi taluk, Sridhar from Jalahalli, Bengaluru; Mallesh of Mandya; Rajshekhar, from Sorab; Manjunath of Shivamogga taluk - all of them were working as drivers/waiters and bars and restaurants in Bengaluru and Raghavendra, a garments worker from Shikaripur.

They had left Bengaluru for Sagar on the evening of May 3 to attend the wedding of their friend Venkatesh, slated for May 4. They picked up Raghavendra from Shivamogga around 11.30 pm.

Madhu, who was at the wheels, tried to overtake the lorry which was moving slowly and crashed into it from behind. The impact of the hit was so severe that the bodies of all seven persons were stuck in the vehicle.

Police personnel extricated bodies with the help of an earthmover and metal cutting tools after a three-hour-long operation. Vehicular movement was disrupted between Ayanur and Shivamogga for a short period on Thursday morning.

Additional Superintendent of Police Muthuraj visited the spot. The bodies were kept in the mortuary of district general hospital. Kumsi police have registered a case.