Daijiworld Media Network - Chitradurga (SP)

Chitradurga, Mar 25: Four members of a family who were returning home in a motorbike after taking part in the annual fair were killed in a road accident which happened on Thursday March 24. The victims were Nagarajappa (45), Shyla (40), Veeresh (16) and Santosh (13), all from B Durg village in Holalkere taluk.

The accident happened on national highway 13 near Dummi in Holalkere. Eyewitnesses blamed bus driver for being reckless and causing this accident. The driver went missing immediately after the accident. The private bus was trying to overtake a lorry when it rammed into the motorbike coming from the opposite direction. The bus crushed the motorbike and continued to move at high speed even thereafter. The bike was mangled and the bodies of the family members were shredded into pieces.

Holakkere police who rushed to the spot after being informed, had a hard time collecting pieces of bodies.

It is gathered that Nagarajappa along with family had visited a relative's family at Hebalagere in Channagiri taluk on Wednesday evening. They participated in the village fair after which they were returning home in a motorbike when tragedy struck.

MLA M Chandrappa and former minister, H Anjaneya, visited B Durga village and pacified the family members. They also urged the police to arrest the bus driver without delay.

Nagaraj had bought a tractor. He worked as a coolie and recently had acquired a two-acre farm. But as all the members of his family have died together there are no heirs to the property, the villagers said. Nagarajappa's brother had died two years back, and Nagaraj was supporting his children. Now, his mother, sister-in-law and her two children have become orphans.