Four Killed, 20 Injured in Horrific Multi-Vehicle Crash on NH-50 in Vijayanagara
A devastating series of collisions on National Highway 50 near Mariyamanahalli in Vijayanagara district resulted in four fatalities and left 20 others injured on Sunday morning. The tragic incident, which occurred around 8:30 AM, involved multiple vehicles and caused extensive traffic disruption.
Details of the Fatalities and Injuries
The deceased have been identified as H Durugappa, 55, from Thimmalapur village, along with Sujata, 40, her father Nagappa, 80, and her brother Kotresh, 22. Durugappa and Sujata died instantly at the scene. Nagappa and Kotresh, who were part of the same family traveling to Kitnur village to meet a prospective bride, succumbed to their injuries later in the evening at Koppal hospital.
Among the injured, six individuals required advanced medical care and were transferred to Koppal district hospital, while 14 others received treatment at Vijayanagara District Hospital in Hosapete. The accidents left more than 20 passengers with various injuries, highlighting the severity of the crash.
Chain of Events Leading to the Catastrophe
According to police reports, the accidents were triggered by a truck transporting garlic from Delhi to Bengaluru, which was allegedly driven negligently. The sequence of events unfolded as follows:
- The truck first struck a motorcycle near MSPL Cross but continued moving without stopping.
- It then rammed into a car and a VRL truck near the entrance of a single-lane bridge at Danapur.
- Moments later, the truck crashed into the rear of a bus operating on the Hosapete-Chitradurga route.
- The force of this collision pushed the bus into an oncoming container truck, exacerbating the damage.
- Additionally, the truck hit two motorcycles coming from the opposite direction, causing one of them to fall several feet off the bridge.
This multi-vehicle pile-up created a chaotic scene on the highway, with debris scattered across the road.
Massive Traffic Disruption and Rescue Efforts
The accidents caused a severe traffic jam stretching over 3 kilometers on both sides of NH-50, bringing vehicular movement to a standstill. To manage the situation, more than 50 police personnel were deployed to control the crowd and clear the congestion. Traffic flow was eventually restored by approximately 11 AM after extensive efforts.
A coordinated rescue operation involving police, fire brigade teams, and a large crane from the BMM Ispat factory was conducted over two hours to remove the overturned truck and other damaged vehicles. Senior officials, including Superintendent of Police S Jahnavi, Additional SP Manjunath, DySP Mallesh Doddamani, and CPI Vikas Lamani, visited the spot to oversee the response and investigation.
The incident underscores the critical need for enhanced road safety measures on busy national highways to prevent such tragedies in the future. Authorities are continuing their investigation into the exact causes and potential negligence involved.
