Stephan Kayyar
Daijiworld Media Network - Kasargod

Kasargod, Aug 23: A former soldier and his wife died and over 18 persons sustained injuries in a collision between a bus and a car at Mavungal near Kanhangad on Sunday August 23.

The deceased have been identified as Suresh Babu (39) and his wife Sudhamani (35), residents of Vellarikundu.

Their son Gopinath (12) sustained serious injuries and has been admitted to a hospital in Mangaluru.

The family was travelling in the car. Over 15 passengers in the bus also sustained injuries.

The accident took place when a bus plying from Panathur to Kanhangad collided with the car that Suresh Babu was driving from Kanhangad towards Vellarikundu.

The injured have been admitted to various hospitals. Some of them have been identified as bus driver Ravi, Abdul Hameed of Kumble, Preeti, Beena James, Udaya, Ashok, Baby, Radhika, Rajani and Shaji. Among them, Ravi too sustained serious injuries and has been shifted to a hospital in Mangaluru.

Suresh Babu had served as a soldier in the Border Security Force (BSF) and had only recently retired. His wife Sudharani was employed in the customer service department of a private bank.

Hosadurg police arrived at the spot and registered a case.