13 persons from AP die in SUV-tanker collision in Karnataka

Chikkaballapur (Karnataka): Thirteen people, including four women, from Andhra Pradesh, were killed when the SUV they were travelling in crashed into a stationary tanker on Thursday morning, police said.

The occupants were travelling from Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh to Bengaluru when the SUV crashed into the tanker on the outskirts of the district headquarters town of Chikkaballapur on NH44 at 7 am.

Mourning the deaths, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakhs to the next of kin of the deceased. He also sought details regarding the accident from the officials.

A preliminary probe has stated that the victims, including the driver of the four-wheeler, who also died in the accident, hailed from Anantapur district. The exact cause of the accident is yet to be ascertained. However, low visibility due to fog is suspected to be one of the reasons, a senior police officer said.

All the victims hailed from the Rayalaseema region in Gorantla, Anantapur district and do not belong to the same family, he said.

“Twelve people died on the spot in the accident while one critically injured person, who was being treated at a nearby hospital, succumbed to injuries. All of them were travelling in the vehicle from Anantapur to Bengaluru and on the way, the vehicle collided with a stationary tanker,” DL Nagesh, Superintendent of Police (Chikkaballapur) said.

A case of accident under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code has been registered and efforts are being taken to identify and contact the family members of the victims, police said.

Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed grief over the 13 deaths. He said that his government will stand with the grief-stricken families of the victims.