Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Sep 22: In an accident which occurred in front of Saraswati Mandir School at Uchchila in Yermal Bada village near Padubidri on Wednesday September 21 morning, an auto rickshaw driver was killed. The victim has been identified as Dhanpal Salian (42) from Yermal Tenka village.

Three vehicles were involved with the accident, a scooty, an express bus, and an auto rickshaw.

Chaitra Kuckian (23), who was riding her scooty, entered the highway to go towards Kaup when the auto rickshaw driven by Dhanpal Salian from opposite direction hit her. Chaitra fell to the road and suffered minor nicks and cuts. The auto driver, who was on the wrong side of the road, suddenly swerved his vehicle to left because of the collision with the scooty. An express bus moving towards Udupi from Mangaluru instantly hit him. The auto rickshaw turned into a mass of mangled steel as a result, while Dhanpal was tossed to the road.

Salian, who suffered serious injuries to his head, limbs and body, was taken to a private hospital at Udupi. But he did not survive the journey to the hospital.
Dhanpal was the brother of former president of Yermal Tenka gram panchayat, Satish R Salian. He had entered marital life three years ago, and is survived by wife, an 18-month-old daughter, and brothers.

It is gathered that Dhanpal was returning to Yermal after ferrying some passengers to Bada village when he met with the accident. BJP district joint spokesperson, Shivaprasad Shetty, said that absence of service road was one of the reasons for this accident. He accused National Highways Authority of India for overlooking demand of locals for service road on either side of the highway.

In her complaint, Chaitra Kuckian said that drivers of both the auto rickahw and bus were responsible for this accident. A case stands registered in Padubidri station in this connection and Kaup police circle inspector has taken up investigation.