Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal

Bantwal, Jun 11: A man was killed and three others sustained serious injuries after a car crashed into a road divider and overturned near Gadiyara, close to Mani on the Mangaluru-Bengaluru National Highway, on Wednesday afternoon.

The deceased has been identified as Lakshmikanth, a native of Hassan and the driver of the vehicle. The injured passengers — Ranjith, Darshan and Shobha — are undergoing treatment at a hospital.

The accident occurred at around noon when the car, carrying four occupants from Hassan, reportedly lost control near Gadiyara and rammed into the road divider before overturning. The impact was so severe that the vehicle was completely mangled.

Hearing the crash, local residents rushed to the spot and rescued the occupants trapped inside the wreckage. The injured were initially shifted to a nearby hospital and later referred to a private hospital in Mangaluru for advanced treatment.

Police said preliminary investigations suggest the driver lost control of the vehicle before it struck the divider.

Vitla police visited the accident site and conducted an inspection. Traffic on the national highway was disrupted for some time following the mishap. The damaged vehicle was later removed with the help of a crane, restoring normal traffic flow.

A case has been registered and further investigation is underway.