Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur

Kundapur, Sep 13: Passengers and driver of a Tata Indica car had a narrow escape after a speeding truck laden with sand rammed into it late evening on Saturday September 12 on national highway 66 at Trasi here.

The car was badly damaged in the accident, but its occupants miraculously escaped unhurt.

The occupants of the car had were going towards Udupi via Kundapur after visiting Murdeshwar when the accident took place. After Udupi, they had planned to visit Dharmasthala.

A truck belonging to IMB Roadlines, and laden with sand, crashed head-on into the car at Trasi after the driver lost control of the vehicle. The impact of the collision was such that both the vehicles overturned and thrown off on opposite sides of the road. The car was badly damaged, but none of its occupants were injured, said the car driver Prashant of Holenarasipura

The truck, plying from Kundapur to Bhatkal, was said to be moving at a high speed, which caused the accident.

Illegal sand transport: Of late, illegal sand transport during night has increased in the coastal region, but the authorities have not taken enough measures to curb such activities. Though the district administration and the mines department have enforced strict rules, it is alleged that sand is illegally transported to other districts during the night.

Eyewitnesses at the accident spot on Saturday night alleged that the truck was illegally transporting sand, as no documents were found with the driver or in the truck. Though in a meeting last week it was decided to install CCTV cameras to catch illegal sand transporters, the decision is yet to be executed.