Daijiworld Media Network - Gadag (SP)

Gadag, Apr 18: 11 members of a single family perished in an accident involving a bus belonging to Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and car on Sunday April 17. These two vehicles collided with each other head-on at near Harlapura in the taluk.

A child and six women are among the deceased. The unfortunate victims of the accident were Shankaragouda Somanagouds (75) from Rajiv Gandhi Nagar in the town, his wife, Parvatamma (55), wife of younger brother, Shakuntala (56), daughters-in-law, Ratna Siddu Somanagouda (30), and Shanta Basanagouds Somanagouda (31), grandchildren, Abhishek (21), Priya Siddu Somanagouda (7), Amit Siddu Somanagouda (4), Kran Raju Yali (15), and a neighbour identified as Basamma (40).

Ten persons died on the spot while Amit breathed his last later at a hospital.

The entourage was returning to the town after attending marriage function of a relative at Mandalageri village in Yalburga taluk, Koppal district, when a government bus going to Hosapete from Hubballi hit their vehicle. Reportedly, the KSRTC bus driver had picked up speed to overtake a truck moving ahead, when the accident occurred.

Immediately after the accident, both the driver and conductor of the bus vanished. As the van got crushed under the bus, crane was used to remove bodies. The van was completely smashed in the accident, and bodies of victims were found strewn on the road.