Daijiworld Media Network - Beltangady (SP)

Beltangady, May 23: Leela (80) from Kanyadi village in the taluk, a retired employee of Dharmasthala Netravati choultry was killed, while her grand daughter Pushpa (30), Pushpa's daughter Dharmashree (9) and Kamala Kalluraya (65) from Dharmasthala were injured, when a person while reversing a car, failed to control the vehicle.

At around 9.15 pm on Thursday May 21, people had gathered in front of the main gate of the temple to witness the 'Nema'. A local policeman, who was trying to reverse a Maruti car owned by Dharmasthala temple office manager N R Udupa, could not steer the vehicle as it raced on reverse gear, ploughing right through the crowds.

Leela, who was seriously injured, was admitted to a private hospital in Mangalore, where she died on Friday. The injured too are undergoing treatment at the hospital. The policeman driver is absconding. This is the second incident of death due to policemen in Dharmasthala, coming after a previous incident in which a worker of the temple had died in the firing by Andhra Pradesh policemen on a pilgrimage.