Vijayapura (Karnataka), May 21 (PTI) Six people died and a 10-year-old boy was injured in a road accident after an SUV allegedly jumped the median and collided with a private bus in this district on Wednesday morning, police said.
The deceased were identified as T Bhaskaran Manikanthan (36), a bank manager; his wife Pavithra (34); their son Abhiram (14); and daughter Jyotsana (12)--all residents of Gadiwal, Telangana--who were travelling in the SUV, police said.
The SUV driver, Vikas Makani, and the bus driver, Basavaraj Rathor, also died in the accident, they added.
Manikanthan’s younger son, Praveen Tej, sustained injuries and is undergoing treatment.
The accident occurred on National Highway 50 near Managuli village in Basavana Bagewadi taluk, police said.
According to Vijayapura Superintendent of Police Laxman Nimbargi, a Mahindra XUV300 heading towards Solapur jumped the median and collided with a bus that was en route from Mumbai to Ballari.
Initially, the police suspected the involvement of a Bolero SUV in the accident, but later clarified that it was the Mahindra SUV— allegedly speeding—that crashed into the divider and subsequently had a head-on collision with the bus.
Due to the impact, the bus driver allegedly lost control of the vehicle and hit a truck parked a few metres away from the spot, a senior police officer said.
However, all passengers in the bus were reported to be safe, the officer added.
A case has been registered at the Managuli police station, and the investigation is ongoing, police said.