Stephan Kayyar

Daijiworld Media Network – Kasargod (EP)

Kasargod, Jul 24: Two brothers lost their lives and more than ten people sustained injuries in a gruesome serial accident which happened at Adkathbail on national highway 66 in the outskirts of the city on Sunday July 22 night.

The deceased were children of Chowki Arjal resident A K Rajish, Mohammed Min Haj(4) and his brother Ibrahim Shasir(7). While Min Haj passed away at a private hospital here the same night, Shasir breathed his last in a private hospital at Mangaluru on the morning of Monday July 23.

The accident occurred when Rajish was travelling on his Bullet motor bike with his two children from Kasargod to his residence. Rajish (33), who suffered injuries in the accident, is being treated at a Mangaluru hospital.

Min Haj was a LKG student of Min Haj Chemnad Jamat English medium school while Ibrahim Shasir was studying at A A model school as a student of second standard.

The accident took place on national highway near Adkathbail School at 9 pm between a car that was on its way to Mangaluru, a tourist bus, two motor bikes and a car approaching from the opposite direction. The vehicles reportedly lost control when trying to avoid potholes on the road.

Rizwan(24), his relative Peruwadi resident Rafiq(36), Rizwan’s sister Ruksana(28), her children Jumana(4) and Aishat Shamna(2), who were in the car and Jamal Ahmed who was on another motor bike, were injured. They were admitted into a hospital here. The motor bikes which were involved in the accident were found stuck under the tourist bus. The car was mangled completely due to the impact. Local people, town fire service and police arrived at the spot immediately after the accident, pulled out the injured and admitted them to the hospital. Traffic was disrupted for several hours on the road.

Potholes main cause of accident

Potholes on national highways are causing several accidents of late. The highway stretch between the town and Talapady is filled with potholes. Accidents do happen when drivers drive haphazardly when trying to avoid hitting the potholes. As roads have often been found inundated in rain water, one cannot make out which is the road and which is pothole. More than 25 accidents have happened between Kumble and Kasargod during the last two weeks. A car while avoiding a pothole had hit a lorry near Mogral Puttur two weeks ago. The car driver had died in the accident. The mess on national highway has been the major cause behind several such accidents.