Daijiworld Media Network - Tumakuru (SP)

Tumakuru, Feb 29: Three Dharmasthala-bound pilgrims were killed and another was seriously injured after a tanker went wayward and plowed through a group of pilgrims from Bengaluru who were going to Dharmasthala by foot. This ghastly accident took place at Urkehalli Bypas in Kunigal taluk on national highway 75. The accident occurred at about 12.30 am on Sunday February 28.

Angry mob then attacked the cleaner of the truck and pelted stones at the tanker. Driver of the tanker escaped in time from mob fury.

The deceased have been identified as Gunashekhara (38), Timmaiah alias Timmegowda (35), and Lokesh (30) from Bengaluru. Chandra (26),who survived with injuries, is being treated in a hospital.

The pilgrims were going to Dharmasthala under the banner of Dharmasthala Padayatre Samiti Bengaluru, which has been organizing such pilgrimages since many years. The crowd had begun their journey after performing puja, on February 26. The group comprised of thousands of pilgrims, and a tanker moving towards Hassan from the direction of Nelamangala came as a bolt from the blue for them.

The bodies of the victims and the injured were scattered on the road as the tanker hit them at high speed. Road users as well as the pilgrims grew angry at the recklessness of the tanker driver and attacked the vehicle with stones. While the driver ran away leaving the vehicle behind in a state of fear, the cleaner who was sleeping inside the vehicle came in for harsh treatment.

Traffic on the road was blocked for a long time as a result. Police circle inspector from Kunigal, Dharmendra, and sub-inspector, Guruprasad, visited the spot with some personnel, moved the bodies to Kunigal government hospital, and sent the injured for treatment. Thereafter, vehicular movement on the highway resumed.

Many of the pilgrims, shocked at the turn of events, decided to return to Bengaluru by cutting short their pilgrimage, while others continued with the onward journey, it is learnt.